Briefly discuss maize under the following headings Botanical name Land preparation Climatic and soil requirement Planting date Spacing Pest and diseases
Answers
Answer: Scientific name: Zea mays. Maize is a versatile crop that can grow in different varieties of soil, water, and climatic conditions. The crop has a wide range of tolerance to temperature conditions but grows well in warm regions where moisture is sufficient. The crop flourishes in regions with rainfall ranging from 1200mm to 2500mm but can adapt to regions receiving rainfall of up to 400mm. The crop requires warm temperatures of between 15°C and 30 °C and thrives in a range of zones with altitudes ranging from 100 m to 2900 m ASL, depending on the variety. The crop is sensitive to moisture stress around tasselling time and during cob formation. Growth is favorable under a pH ranging from 5-8 with 5.5-7 being optimal because it is sensitive to salinity. Planting ProcedureThe planting procedure for maize is as follows: Choice of seedThe first step to getting maximum yield is ensuring you plant healthy, certified seeds. Land PreparationThe piece of land for planting maize should be prepared early, before the onset of rains, for weeds to decompose before planting. The following procedure for planting can be followed: Spray weeds with the appropriate chemicals. Plow the land and make it level with a fine tilth. Considering the size of the land, machines like tractors or ox-drawn plows can be used, to observe the correct spacing. Mix the soil with manure and biochar for efficient and improved nutrient uptake as well as stabilizing soil pH. Make holes at a spacing of 90 x 30–50 cm if soil fertility is low or 75x25–50 cm if soil fertility is relatively high. Place 1 or 2 seeds per hole, or alternate 1 and 2 seeds at a depth of about 4 cm if the soil is moist and about 10 cm if the soil is dry. Cover the seeds with loose soil. Planting Time: It is important to plant maize early in the season because late planting adversely affects yield. Plant within two weeks of the onset of rainfall in the highlands and before the onset of rainfall in the lowlands to make use of the scarce rainfall. Field Operations: Thinning and Gapping: Gapping is done to replace seeds that did not germinate after others germinated completely. Thinning is done when maize has grown to about 15 cm in height by removing weak and deformed seedlings to make space for healthy seedlings in a hole. Fertilizer application: To achieve maximum yield, fertilizer should be applied on time. Manure and biochar can also be added to soil with little or no organic matter. When planting manually, thoroughly mix soil with a teaspoonful of fertilizer into each planting hole to ensure that it doesn’t burn the seeds. Place the seeds on top of the soil and feel for softness. DAP is recommended for planting because it contains phosphorous, which helps in root development. Top dressing: Maize can be top dressed with CA 2-3 weeks after planting or when it is 45 cm (1 ft) high. One teaspoon of fertilizer should be applied to the base of each plant, 15 cm away from the plant in a ring or along the row. Top dress in two stages in areas with heavy rainfall: the first six weeks after sowing and the second 10-15 days later, or just before tussling. In areas experiencing low rainfall, topdressing is done only once at a rate of 50–100 kg per acre. Using CAN and urea for topdressing is good because it fixes nitrogen in the soil. Nitrogen increases the green color of the leaves to make food for the plant. Weeding: Remove weeds mechanically, manually, or by using herbicides to prevent them from competing with the crops for nutrients, water, and light. The first wedding, if done manually, should be done three weeks after planting, depending on the intensity of weeds in the field. Herbicides can be applied in two phases: pre-emergence, which is used before the maize germinates and weeds appear, and post-emergence, which is applied after the maize and weeds germinate. Harvesting Normally, each maize stalk should yield one large ear of maize, but in ideal conditions, the stalk can yield a second, slightly smaller ear that matures slightly later than the first. Maize is ready for harvesting when the kernels within the husks are well packed and produce a milky substance when the kernel is punctured. Physiological DiseasesNitrogen deficiency The typical symptom of nitrogen deficiency is the plant turns pale green; with a ‘V-shaped yellow coloration on leaves. This pattern starts from the leaf end to the leaf collar. The symptom begins from the lower to upper leaves. Phosphorous deficiency The deficient plants are dark green and lower leaves show reddish-purple discoloration. Potassium deficiency The leaf margins turn yellow and brown which appears like firing or drying. The symptoms progress from lower leaves to upper leaves. A sulfur deficiency Symptom appears on younger leaves where we will see yellow color striping(interveinal chlorosis).