A member of CGIAR consortium www.iita.org S. Meseka Maize Breeder Maize improvement program Iita-ibadan, Nigeria Maize agronomy for increasing productivity Implementer Induction training 16 – 18/3/2016
A member of CGIAR consortium www.iita.org
S. MesekaMaize Breeder
Maize improvement program
Iita-ibadan, Nigeria
Maize agronomy for increasing productivity
Implementer Induction training 16 – 18/3/2016
A member of CGIAR consortium www.iita.org
Outline of presentation
• Importance of maize
• Constraints to maize production
• Basic requirements for maize production
• Agronomic management practices
• Harvest and post-harvest management
Implementer Induction training 16 – 18/3/2016
A member of CGIAR consortium www.iita.org
The most important cereal crop in sub-Saharan Africa including
Nigeria & staple food for >1.5 billion people (SSA, LAmer & Asia)
Fresh maize serves as good source of cash, with Nigeria as leading
country in Africa
Food industry – Nestle, and others
Feed industry in West Africa including Nigeria
Importance of maize
Implementer Induction training 16 – 18/3/2016
A member of CGIAR consortium www.iita.org
Maize production is faced with several challenges:
The lack of good seed (quality seed vs grain)
Pests and diseases (Stemborers, Streak, Blights, Rust)
Weeds including Striga
Soil degradation and low fertility (Low N, Acid soils, etc)
The lack of fertilizers & other agro-chemicals
Lack of funding/ source of loan
Constraints to maize production
Stemborer
Streak
Low Nitrogen
Striga
Implementer Induction training 16 – 18/3/2016
A member of CGIAR consortium www.iita.org
Constraints to maize production
Climatic fluctuations (Drought, Heat, Flood)
The lack of implements
Implementer Induction training 16 – 18/3/2016
A member of CGIAR consortium www.iita.org
Constraints to maize production
Other constraints
the lack of labour force
the lack of good market
low market value
Implementer Induction training 16 – 18/3/2016
A member of CGIAR consortium www.iita.org
Basic requirements for production
Know your production environment(s) – rainy forestry,
savannas (northern/southern guinea/Sud. savanna)
Type of maize seed – OPV/ Hybrid & source
Optimum time of planting & management practices
Other inputs (fertilizers, pesticides, herbicides) & source
The use (home consumption) and market (local/ regional)
Storage facility
Implementer Induction training 16 – 18/3/2016
A member of CGIAR consortium www.iita.org
Basic requirements for production
Rainfall - quantity, distribution and duration
enough total annual rainfall to support crop: planting – harvest
Relative humidity – low RH at harvest time for good quality grains
Soils – fertile and well drained soils give good yields
Site selection - crucial for the success of maize production
accessibility into the farm/ field – input & product transportation
avoid sandy areas, steep slopes, fields planted to maize previously
Implementer Induction training 16 – 18/3/2016
A member of CGIAR consortium www.iita.org
Agronomic management practices
Land preparations Important determinant of yield
good land preparations ensures soil aeration, moisture holding capacity
poor land preparation can lead to soil erosion, high weed population
Implementer Induction training 16 – 18/3/2016
A member of CGIAR consortium www.iita.org
Germination test using plastic bowls
Seed Germination Tests
Agronomic management practices
Implementer Induction training 16 – 18/3/2016
A member of CGIAR consortium www.iita.org
Agronomic management practices
Planting time/ sowing date – essential management tool
decline in yield can be attributed to very early / late planting
plant at optimum time when rains are stable
Method of planting - row planting
hand hoe
bamboo peg
Jack planter
Plant populations
spacing between rows (75 – 80 cm)
spacing between hills (25 – 50 cm)
Implementer Induction training 16 – 18/3/2016
A member of CGIAR consortium www.iita.org
Maize Morphology
Agronomic management practices
Implementer Induction training 16 – 18/3/2016
A member of CGIAR consortium www.iita.org
Agronomic management practices
Weeds control – good weed is essential for high grain yield
Weeds compete with maize crop for sunlight, nutrients, water, space
Hand weeding is expensive; – pre- & post-emergency herbicides
Timely weeding
Weeds & droughtTime to weed
No weeding & Fertilizer
Late weeding
Implementer Induction training 16 – 18/3/2016
A member of CGIAR consortium www.iita.org
Agronomic management practices
Fertilizer application
maize plant must be supplied with adequate nutrients (NPK)
5 bags of compound fertilizer (NPK 15:15:15) at planting/ 2 WAP
3 bags of urea (N) 5-6 WAP as top-dressing
UREA
Implementer Induction training 16 – 18/3/2016
A member of CGIAR consortium www.iita.org
Agronomic management practices
Pest & Disease control
Maize steak virus (MSV)
Leaf blight
Rust
Downy mildew
Stemborer (Best, phrynx, etc)
Use of resistant varieties/ hybrids
Implementer Induction training 16 – 18/3/2016
A member of CGIAR consortium www.iita.org
Harvest and post-harvest management
Harvest - optimum time when stem have dried and grain moisture 20%
Also determined by black sport at the base of kernel
Threshing - important for cleaning, sorting and grading
Storage – transitional period - market
Implementer Induction training 16 – 18/3/2016
A member of CGIAR consortium www.iita.orgImplementer Induction training 16 – 18/3/2016