Global Maize Project in India: Dharwad, Karnataka

The rice-wheat cropping system is the most predominant cereal production system in India. However, during the recent past, the area and production of maize is gaining importance due to growing demand for feed destined for the poultry sector ... presently accounting for over 50% of maize production. Since maize has less demands for water, there is a tremendous opportunity for the area under maize-wheat to grow, and increases the importance of developing nutrient management guidelines for this emerging cropping system. This project aims to understand the yield potential of the maize-wheat cropping system through different nutrient management strategies. Developing a scientific approach to site-specific nutrient management (SSNM), evaluating its agronomic and economic performance, and assessing the short and long-term effects of intensive maize production are the objectives of this study. The expected outcome is to develop and disseminate SSNM recommendations to maize farmers within Northern Karnataka.

Field experiments were laid out during June 2009 at agricultural research station near Dharwar. The highest maize yield within an ecological intensification study was 3,357 kg/ha under the complete treatment of 180-90-100 kg N-P₂O₅-K₂O/ha. A study examining real-time N management applied either 160 or 240 kg N/ha through split applications occurring at the basal, V4 to V6 stages, and V10 stage (guided by leaf color charts) and achieved yields of 4,942 and 4,620 kg/ha, respectively. A third study estimating indigenous nutrient supplying capacity through nutrient omission plots found that ample NPK could produce 4,743 kg/ha, whereas omitting N, P, and K resulted in yields of 2,615, 3,961, and 4,325 kg/ha, respectively.

Nutrient uptake studies for maize are under progress. This project continues to June 2012. SZ INDIA-51.