Achievements of three decades of maize research at ARS-P are documented from 1972 to 2001. For the eastern hill farmers, released maize varieties such as Ganesh 1, Manakamana 1, Arun 1 and pipeline maize varieties such as Population 22, Pool21, BA 93 and Madi White have become popular for different maize based cropping systems. In a hybrid maize varietal study at Pakhribas, it was found that Pop 22, an OPV, produced a yield of 3859 kg/ha while Local White produced a yield of 3777 kg/ha, and the highest yielding hybrid, CMS 977503, 6518 kg/ha. From an experiment on quality protein maize (QPM), farmers did not prefer these varieties. As a lesson learned Pakhribas should support community-based seed production in accessible areas in the coming years. Farmers maintained a final plant population of about 30,000/ha. Hand weeding up to 30 days after sowing was found crucial for the crop. Sowing depth of Manakamana 1 should not be more than 10 cm to ensure good emergence. Maize foliage removal 15 days after silking and detopping of tassels can be done 30 days after silklng in the maize/millet system. Maize variety Population 22, Arun 1 and Manakamana 1 could be grown Ín a maize/millet system of mid hills. Compost alone and only chemical fertilisation were not economically sustainable for maize production. The total runoff in farmer's practice of maize sowing was recorded about 2500-5000 m3/ha. This amount of runoff could be reduced to about 1000-3900 m3/ha by applying improved practices to maize grown as a sole crop with lÍne sowing across the slopes and mulching with Banmara (Eupotorium adenophorum) at 10 ton/ha compost. The highest soil loss (about 120-135 t/ha) was recorded Ín farmers' practice as against a minimum soil loss (about 25-75 t/ha) in an improved practice of maize sowing in the eastern hills of Nepal. The loss of OM in farmer current practice of maize sowing was as high as about 500-800 kg/ha in contrast to the improved practice of maize sowing where OM losses was recorded about 280-500 kg/ha. It was noticed that in farmer' s practice the maximum losses of NPK were up to 55,57 and 65 kg/ha, respectively whereas these losses could be minimised gave an encouraging return on investment (Rol) in all the sites. The role for these legumes in potato + maize/ legumes system ranged in between 3.07 (potato + maize/ pea in Sindhuwa) to 8.98 (potato + maize/ pea in Bhakimle). Ganesh 1 and Manakamana 1, were most preferred maize variety with respect to taste and colour by eastern hill farmers. Ganesh 1 responded to compost at 30 t/ha plus 90:60:60 kg NPK/ha in the high hills of potato + maize system. Locally available materials were Neem, Titepati, Boketimur, Asuro leaf, Bhojo rhizome, Chiraito, lemon grass, citronella, Bovis leaf, wood ash, Malathion and sun drying were reported having no effect for controlling weevil (Sitophylis oryzae) in the mid hills. However, the use of 225 g household lime for 100 maize ears could reduce weevil infestation by 21% over the control, which has 65% infestation for a period of nine months in the mid hills.

Conservation Agriculture Program

English

0304|AGRIS 0201|AL-Economics Program|R01PROCE

Juan Carlos Mendieta

INT3018

CIMMYT Publications Collection