Central Government Departments

 

International Training of Directorate of Maize Research

International Training

1. FAO SIDA Training Course Series in association with FAO and Swedish International Development Agency were organized under this project, in which, 77 trainees from Africa and near east courtiers were trained

2. International Trainings on Seed Production Technology in collaboration with CIMMYT, Mexico have been conducted in the Project

3. International Training Course on Post-harvest Technology in Maize from July 29 to August 2, 2002. In this 23 trainees from eight different Asian countries receive hand-on training on various aspects of post-harvest handling of maize.

National Training

Twenty two State Level Officers’ Training Programme were organized in a span of just one year (2001-02) under Accelerated Maize Development Programme (AMDP) under Technology Mission on Oilseeds, Pulses and Maize, Govt. of India. UNDP sub-programme on maize-based cropping system for food security in India is under implementation in nine villages of Uttar Pradesh, Bihar and Rajasthan. Under this scheme six Officers’ Training have been organized in last one year.

Trainings of officers of various levels

Publications on maize production technology released

1. During past few years following technical bulletins have been released and updated from time to time by the AICRP on Maize. They have created lot of awareness among farmers.

2. Production technology of Quality Protein Maize

3. Quality Protein Maize products for human nutrition

4. Kharif Maize

5. Rabi Maize

6. Early Maturing Composite Maize: Shakti-1

7. Quality Protein Maize: Shaktiman-1 and Shaktiman-2

8. Rabi Makka: adhik upaj lene ke gur

9. Kwality Protein Makka Utpad Manav Poshan ke Liye

10. Kharif Makka

11. Rabi Makka

12. Kwaliti Protein Makka ki Utpadan Pradyogiki

13. Poshan Surakhs ke liye Kawality Protein Makka

 

Resource Management in Directorate of Maize Research

Resource Management

1. Development of package of practices both for kharif and rabi maize

2. Diversification of maize based cropping system

3. Integrated nutrient and water management

4. Weed management

5. Application of GIS in resource management

 

Prioritization of Maize Programs

National Priorities

1. Productivity enhancement through hybrids (especially single cross hybrids)

2. Germplasm evaluation and characterization, development of hybrids and composites for draught/excess water affected areas.

3. Development of geneotypes suitable for diversified end-uses.

Regional Priorities

1. Development of early-maturing genotypes, specifically for difficult ecosystems.

2. Development of vigorous, highly productive inbred lines

3. Development of full-season single cross hybrids for winter season

 

Significant Achievements of Directorate of Maize Research

1. Over 60 varieties/hybrids (over two dozen hybrids and more than three dozen composites) released, helping to increase productivity by almost three times.

2. Release of four double cross hybrids in initial phase (1961), led to the establishment of National seeds Corporation in 1963 and subsequent organization of public sector seed industry in the country.

3. First country in the word to release composite varieties in maize, thus helping farmers in avoiding the need for replacement of seed every year

4. Also the first country to release three high yielding, nutritionally superior varieties (in 1971) having high lysine and tryptophan content.

5. Release of two three-way hybrids having specific disease-pest tolerance to further boost the production both in kharif (rainy) and rabi (winter) seasons.

6. Development of packages of region-specific cultivation practices, like time of planting, inter-crops and disease-pest management.

7. Development of efficient seed production practices, like male : female ratio, isolation distances, staggered planting in case of non-synchronized lines, etc. for production of foundation and certified seed of commercially important released hybrids, and channelization of seed production programmes in various maize growing regions of the country.

8. Development of disease and insect pest resistant cultivars through an integrated inter-disciplinary approach.

9. Release of a full-season composite ‘African Tall’ to meet the increased fodder demand of farmers in several parts of the country.

10. Diversity of maize cultivars released paved the way for enhanced production in hill and tribal areas.

11. Intensification of research and release of cultivars to meet increasing demands of baby corn, sweet corn, pop corn, corn flakes and miscellaneous industrial food products including maize oil.

12. Development of rabi maize technology for increasing production and productivity in winter season.

 

Mandate of Directorate of Maize Research

The mandate of the AICRP and its translation into corresponding programmes of activities pertaining to education, research, extension education, others:

Mission of the maize project is “to meet the increasing demand of maize for food, feed, fodder, nutritional security and other industrial uses in changing global scenario by enhancing productivity, nutritional quality and value addition”

The mandates of the AICRP on Maize are as follows:

1. Basic & strategic research on germplasm enhancement, biotic and abiotic tress tolerance, quality improvement, specialized end-uses, post harvest handling, value addition etc.

2. Strategic and applied research to support varietal development with respect to yield, quality traits and specialized uses.

3. Coordinating national maize development programme through various centres (AICRP on Maize).

4. Dissemination of maize technologies through training, on- farm research, frontline demonstrations etc.

5. Rendering consultancy services on maize R & D.

6. Developing effective linkages and networking with national/ international research institutions.

 

Directorate of Maize Research

Directorate of Maize Research (formally All-India Coordinated Maize Improvement Program) Cummings Laboratory, IARI, New Delhi, was established in 1957 with a vision to meet the increasing demands for maize grains by improving maize production technology for continuous enhancement in productivity and for its diversified use, fully keeping in view the importance of maize crop for food, nutritional security and industrial use. No comprehensive research efforts for maize improvement were made in India at the national level prior to 1950. In early fifties, the Government of India imported a number of commercial maize hybrids, mainly from USA and Caribbean region. However, predominantly these hybrids had temperate background as a result their inbred did not fit well under Indian conditions. Further, the US hybrids could also not become popular because of their dent grain type and very late maturity.

 

History of Directorate of Maize Research

There are three distinct phases of research efforts for improvement of maize. With change in scenario, research priorities changed over the period. This may be summarized as follows:

Phase I (1957-1974)
During this era initial efforts were made to identify yellow flint type inbreds with disease and pest resistance so that they may be combined in hybrids. Emphasis was laid on double-cross hybrids. In 1961, the first set of four double-cross hybrids, viz. Ganga 1, Ganga 101, Ranjit and Deccan were released for commercial cultivation. These were followed by series of double-cross hybrids like Ganga Safed 2, Hi-Starch, Ganga 5 etc. Many of these hybrids are still popular among the farmers.

Soon emphasis was shifted towards composite breeding in view of the problems associated with hybrid seed production, storage, transportation and distribution, as the seed industry was just being organized then. Composites were developed by intra-population improvement in a base germplasm complex made by putting together desirable materials like populations, hybrids and inbred lines. The combinations showing high heterotic response and least inbreeding depression served as composite varieties. In 1960s released composites were Amber, Jawahar, Kisan, Vikram, Sona and Vijay. These composites were high yielding, early in maturity, more adaptable and less input requiring. These varieties not only gained popularity in India but in neighbouring countries like Pakistan, Bhutan and Nepal. Discovery of opaque-2 gene during this period led to concerted effort to develop high lysine maize varieties. This led to release of three quality protein maize (QPM) composites in 1971, viz. Rattan, Shakti and Protina.
During this period very little priority was given on fodder maize, specialized maize etc.

Phase II (1974-1989)
During this phase more efforts were focused on population improvement and development of heterotic pools to supplement variety/hybrid development programme. Intra-population improvement efforts were made in selected composite varieties, representing various maturity groups. Populations were tested across locations and location-specific conditions. This resulted in significant improvement of several populations and lead to release of number of varieties like Diara 3, MCU 508 etc. In early eighties, one component of population improvement programme was oriented towards inbred enrichment and enhancement to develop heterotic pools for hybrid development. In this important features were introgression of materials having multiple disease resistance, increase in frequency of desirable alleles for stalk borer resistance and improvement in tolerance to soil-moisture stress. Some of the desired inbreds have thus been used in development of several hybrids like CM 111, CM 119, CM 202, CM 208, CM 300, CM 400, etc. During this phase five pools viz. AB yellows, AB white, BC yellow, CD yellow and CD white were formulated, representing wide array of maturity levels and grain colour (yellow and white) to develop promising varieties. VL 88, an early-maturing composite was developed from CD yellow pool and gained wide popularity among farmers. During this phase potentiality of winter (rabi) maize was realized and a separate winter maize breeding programme was initiated in 1975. Development of heterotic pools exclusively for winter maize was initiated in 1980. Till the end of this phase emphasis was laid on development of composites and double-cross hybrids with full-maturity.

Phase III (1989 onwards)
During this phase major emphasis was given on hybrid research programme. This includes:

1. Developing high-yielding hybrids of full-season maturity (100-110 days) for rainy (kharif) and winter (rabi) season for peninsular India

2. Developing early-maturing (85-90 days) hybrids for kharif, especially for tribal areas

3. Developing high-yielding hybrids suitable for rabi cultivation in north-west and eastern plains

4. Strengthening seed research

5. Monitoring on-farm research and testing

6. Developing an efficient method to produce homozygous lines through haploidy route.

At present a few three-way hybrids like Trishulata, Shaktiman-1 etc. in addition to more than two dozens double-cross hybrids have been made for cultivation to farmers. However, in recent past more efforts are being made to develop single-cross hybrids in full-season and early-maturity groups. Besides, priorities are being given on the following areas:-

1. Strengthening post-harvest handling of maize for value addition.

2. Development of appropriate gene pools for various traits and maize cultivars with emphasis on single cross hybrids.

3. Tackle new emerging biotic and abiotic stresses.

4. Improve water, nutrition, weed management and tillage for crop establishment and develop resource conservation technology (RCT) under rainfed conditions for higher yields.

5. Diversification of maize in non-traditional areas with emphasis on winter maize production.

6. Develop and identify maize cultivars for diversified uses viz. (food, feed, fodder and industrial) sweet corn, baby corn, popcorn, green cob, QPM, high starch, high oil, high amylopectin maize.

7. Application of GIS in maize improvement.

8. Transgenic research and marker-assisted breeding

9. Human Resource Development in various aspects of Maize Production Technology.

10. Dissemination of maize production and post-harvest technology through trainings, on-farm research, frontline demonstrations etc.

Presently, priorities have been shifted from full-maturity to early-maturity group. Relative distribution of resources towards early maturity to medium maturity to full-season maturity groups is 60:20:20.

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