Agriculture
Crop Production :: Forage Crops :: Fodder Maize

Package of Practices

Ploughing
Plough the field twice with an iron plough and three or four times with country plough.

Application of FYM
Apply and spread FYM or compost at 25 t/ha on unploughed field along with 10 packets of Azospirillum (2000 g) and 10 packets of Phosphobacteria (2000 g) inoculum or 20packets of Azophos (4000 g) and incorporate the manure into the soil during ploughing.

Forming Ridges and Furrows
Form ridges and furrows using a ridger, 30 cm apart are form beds of size 10 m2 or 20 m2 depending on the availability of water and slope of the land.

Application of fertilizers
Apply NPK fertilizers as per soil test recommendation as for as possible. If soil testing is not done, follow blanket recommendation of 30 : 40 : 20 kg N, P2O5 and K2 O / ha. Apply 30 kg N/ha at 30 days after sowing as top dressing.

Sowing

  • Spacing : 30 x 15 cm, Seed rate : 40 kg/ha
  • Treat the seeds with 3 packets (600 g) Azospirillum inoculant and  3 packets (600 g) of phosphobacteria or 6 packets of Azophos (1200g )before sowing

Water management
Irrigate immediately after sowing and give life irrigation on the third day and thereafter once in 10 days.

Weed management
Hoeing and weeding are done as and when necessary.

Harvesting
Harvest the crop when the cob is in the milky stage.
               
Note:     
* Fodder Maize can be intercropped with CO 5 or CO (FC) 8 Cowpea at 3:1 ratio and harvested together to provide nutritious fodder.

  • TNAU vermicompost at 5 t/ha + 75% recommended dose of fertilizer for intercropping of maize and cowpea produces green fodder yield of 105 t/ha/yr ( 3 crops/ year)  which is sufficient to maintain 7 adults and 3 young cattles. The dung obtained from these animals can be used for on farm production of 19.4 tonnes of vermicompost per year.