AICRP on Maize

Year of Establishment: 1981

About the Scheme

All India Co-ordinated project on maize started at Mandya in the year 1981 with a well-planned co-ordinated technical program for development and evaluation of hybrids and inbreds of different types of corn viz. normal maize, sweet corn, popcorn, baby corn and QPM maize suitable for different agro climatic zones of southern Karnataka.

The scientifical and technical personal one involved in formulation of technical programme of different disciplines to achieve the targeted objectives for development, identification, screening and preparation of different value added products. A multidisciplinary team approach is involved in execution of the experiments in both Kharif and Rabi seasons.

In the station breeding program resistance donors for different biotic and abiotic stresses have been identified through germplasm collection and screening and identified donors for different diseases. These donors are being used in development of hybrids with multiple disease tolerance.

Mandya center has been identified as national screening facility for TLB, SDM, PFSR and polysora rust diseases. National collaborative program was initiated under CRPAB in collaboration with IIMR and NBPGR, New Delhi for screening and characterization of maize national gene pool for different biotic and abiotic stresses.

Similarly, double haploid technology in being used for speed breeding in the DH facility established at ARS, Kunigal as an international collaboration program with CIMMYT, Mexico.

Breeding

• Development and evaluation of maize hybrids/composites under different maturity groups (Late, Medium, Early and Extra Early) in Co-ordinated trail.
• Development and evaluation of Speciality corn hybrids (QPM, Popcorn, Sweet corn and Baby corn).
• Germplasm collection, maintenance and evaluation and utilized in the maize breeding program.

Pathology

• Development of hybrids and inbred lines resistant to Turcicum leaf blight, Sorghum downy mildew, PFSR and polysora rust disease under station trials.
• Screening of normal and specialty maize genotypes against Turcicum leaf blight (TLB), Sorghum downy mildew (SDM) and Polysora rust disease under different maturity groups in co-ordinated trials.
• Survey and surveillance for major diseases of maize in southern parts of Karnataka.
• To develop Integrated Disease Management (IDM) practices in order to identify effective control measures against SDM, TLB, PFSR and Polysora rust diseases.

Agronomy

• Designing climate resilient maize system for sustainable crop production to develop resource use efficient production system under climate change.
• Weed management in maize systems to find out effective weed management options in maize system.
• Accounting residual effect of herbicide on succeeding crops in traditional and emerging maize-based cropping systems.
• Performance of field corn genotypes under varying nutrient levels to study the response of pre-release field corn genotypes to different NPK levels and their interactions.
• Genotypic and management interactions in organic viz-a-viz conservation agriculture system to identify promising maize genotype/s adaptable to conservation agriculture.

Nutrition

• Assessment of biochemical/nutritional quality of maize hybrids and specialty corns.
• Developing nutritionally enriched recipes using QPM and other specialty corns and their shelf life studies.
• To conduct front line demonstration (FLD) to popularize the maize hybrids and technology for higher productivity.
• Transfer of technology through training programme and other means to SHG women on maize value added product preparation and its popularization.

Facilities and Conservation of Germplasm

• A small cold room facility is available for storing germplasm by all the AICRP’s and a small quantity of working germplasm is maintained for short term storage in this facility.
• The maize germplasm is being maintained at medium term storage at gene bank, GKVK, Bangalore.
• A good laboratory and field facilities with small poly house are available for maize pathology research with separate sick plots for SDM, TLB and PFSR maintained as a national facility.
• The field facility for maize breeding program is available with protective irrigation facility.
• A small nutrition laboratory established under NAIP is being used for nutrition related research and maintained.

Accomplishments

• Developed and released six single cross hybrids and two composites with resistance/tolerance to multiple diseases, long and bold cobs with orange and bold seeds preferred for poultry industry, high starch hybrids suitable for starch industries.
• Some of these recently released hybrids are in seed chain and large scale seed production is being taken up by commercialization to different maize seed companies.
• The Mandya center is focused on development of DH lines and its utilization to be efficient breeding program for developing high yielding multiple disease resistance hybrids suitable for state of Karnataka.

Plant Protection Technologies

• Technology on the Management of Turcicum Leaf Blight using new molecule of fungicides (Azoxystrobin 18.2% w/w + Difenoconazole 11.4% w/w SC @ 0.1%).
• IDM module for the Management of Turcicum Leaf Blight of Maize.
• Developed Technology on Management of Downy Mildew of Maize using liquid formulation as seed treatment (Seed treatment with Metalaxyl M 31.8 ES @ 2.4 ml/kg of seed).
• Technology on Management of Downy Mildew of Maize both as seed treatment and Foliar spray.
• Technology on Management of Bacterial Stalk rot of Maize.
• Efficacy of fungicides in control of maize Polysora rust disease.
• Value added maize products developed (34) and Commercialized (08).

Maize Based Products Developed and Commercialized

• Commercialized three maize value added products (Ready-to-cook maize savoury pongal mix, Ready-to-cook maize sweet pongal mix and Ready-to-cook maize bisibele bath mix) are being up scaled by the entrepreneurs with an MOU with the university.
• Totally more than 45 maize based products have been developed and some of them have been commercialized in order to promote use of maize grains and sweet, popcorn and QPM maize for development of nutritionally enhanced maize based products to achieve food and nutritional security not only for human being and also for animals.

Collaborations

• Established collaboration with CIMMYT, Hyderabad and IIMR, Ludhiana apart from collaborating with maize seed companies for screening and evaluation.
• The hybrids developed from the scheme have been commercialized to different companies with an MOU for upscaling seed production and distribution.

Other Activities

• Supporting PG research with teaching and student guidance for promoting research on maize crop.
• Outreach activities are being conducted regularly under FLD, TSP and SCSP program supported by IIMR, Ludhiana.
• Serving farmers through consultancies and advisory during krushimela, filed days and exhibition and personal field visits.

Ruling Hybrids

• MAH14-5
• MAH 14-138
• MAH 15-84
• MAH 20-45

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