Maize(Zea mays) is one of the best cereal fodder crops grown during the summer, rainy, and winter seasons. It produces rich and nutritious green fodder which is a good source of carbohydrates. However, the fodder quality of green maize is far excellent. Amongst the non-legume cultivated fodders, maize is the only fodder that produces better nutritional quality along with the good quantity of biomass. Its quality is much better than sorghum and pearl millet since both sorghum as well as pearl millet possesses anti-quality components such as HCN and oxalate, respectively. This green fodder is particularly suitable for silage making. The yield varies from 30 to 40 tonnes/hectare.
Climatic requirement: Maize may be grown between 15oC to 45oC temperatures but the most favorable range is 20oC to 35oC.
Soil requirement: Maize requires very fertile, well-drained loamy soils having a pH range of 5.5 to 8.5. The crop grows best on alluvial or red soils but can also by grown on well-drained black soils. It does not thrive well on heavy soils, saline, and alkali soils.
Variety: African Tall and Ganga – 5.
Method and time of sowing and seed rate: After preparing a fine field crop must be sown in lines (25-30 cm apart) by using seed drill or by hand dibbling method. Sowing time varies from place to place. Maintain a seed rate of 16 – 20 kg/acre and dibble one seed to a spacing of 15cm between the seeds in the row which are 30 cm apart.
Weed control: Weed very effectively may be controlled by spraying 1000g Atrazine (Atrataf 50 WP) dissolved in 200-liter water per acre within two days of sowing or up to 2-3 leaf stage of weeds.
Manure and Fertilizer requirement: Maize responds well to the application of farmyard manure and compost. Apply 25-ton farmyard manure or compost per hectare one fortnight before sowing. In addition to it apply 30 kg nitrogen at sowing time and 30 kg nitrogen during 25-30 days after sowing. 40 kg of phosphorous and 20 kg of potash to be applied before sowing as basal dose.
Water management: First irrigation should be applied very carefully. Water should not overflow on the ridges. The irrigation should be applied in furrows up to 2/3rd the height of the ridges. Irrigation should be given in every 10-15 days in the rainy season and every 6-8 days in the summer depending upon the rains and moisture-holding capacity of the soil. Young seedlings, knee-high stage, sinking, and picking are the most sensitive stages for water stress for crops and irrigation should be ensured at these stages. Light and frequent irrigations are desirable for crops. Every 15-20 days in the rainy season and every 10-12 days in the summer.
Harvesting stage: It is harvested 60-70 days after sowing depending upon the varieties. For fodder purposes, maize may be harvested from silking to soft milk stage but for silage, it is harvested at the milk stage. The milk to early dough stage is preferred for higher yield and protein content
Yields: Maize yields around 40 – 45 tonnes of green fodder per hectare under irrigated conditions.