Maize (corn) | Diseases And Pests, Description, Uses, Propagation

Description

Maize is a staple food for almost half the population of sub-Saharan Africa and is important for its carbohydrate, proteins, iron, vitamin B, and minerals. The produce is consumed as maize meal (ugali), porridge, pastes, and beer, and can be boiled or roasted as fresh as it comes from the farm. Maize is also processed to produce oils for cooking. It is also an important crop for animal feed.

Smallholder farmers are the largest producers of maize in sub-Saharan Africa. The maize is produced through subsistence farming as part of mixed agricultural systems which lack inputs such as fertiliser, irrigation, improved seeds and efficient labor.

In 2017, Africa produced 7.4% of the 1,135 million tonnes produced worldwide in 40 million hectares, according to data by the Food and Agriculture Organization (FAO).

Crop Details

Scientific Name: Zea mays

Common Name: "Mahindi" in Swahili, "maíz" in Spanish, "maïs" in French, "Mais" in German, "grano" or "mais" in Italian, "milho" in Portuguese, "玉米" (yùmǐ) in Chinese, "मक्का" (makkā) in Hindi, "ذرة" (dhira) in Arabic, and "кукуруза" (kukuruza) in Russian

Maize field Ripened maize Harvested maize Maize field Maize ear Maize ears Maize silks Maize tassel Maize foliage ‹ › ×

Uses & Benefits

Maize is a versatile crop with numerous uses and benefits. It serves as a staple food providing essential nutrients such as carbohydrates, fiber, vitamins, and minerals. Maize is also a key ingredient in various food products, including cornmeal, corn syrup, and cooking oil. Beyond its nutritional value, maize is used in animal feed, supporting livestock production. It is a vital raw material in industries producing biofuels, biodegradable plastics, and other industrial products.

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Varieties

The history of maize varieties in the continent spans way back in 1500 AD when the crop was introduced in Africa and spread in every corner of the continent. Today, there are about 50 species with different texture, color, grain sizes and shapes. White and yellow maize are the most commonly cultivated, and production of seed varieties depends on the region’s soil and climatic conditions.

PlantVillage recommends use of certified seeds suitable for appropriate soil and climatic conditions.

Here are some of the maize varieties grown in Kenya:

H614: this is a white maize variety that is popular in Kenya due to its high yield potential, good grain quality, and tolerance to diseases such as maize streak virus.

H6213: a yellow maize variety is planted for its high yield potential, good grain quality, and tolerance to drought and pests such as the maize stem borer.

DH01: this is a hybrid maize variety popular for its high yield potential, good drought tolerance, and resistance to diseases such as maize lethal necrosis disease.

PH4: this is a yellow maize variety that is popular in Kenya due to its high yield potential, good resistance to diseases such as leaf rust, and tolerance to drought.

DK8031: this hybrid maize variety is popular in Kenya for its high yield potential, good grain quality, and tolerance to diseases such as grey leaf spot.

Longe 5H: this is a white maize variety grown for its high yield potential, good drought tolerance, and tolerance to diseases such as maize streak virus.

The following are some of the maize varieties grown in Tanzania:

Staha: for low to medium altitude (1-900 m); maturity of 110-130 days; tolerant to drought and also humid conditions

Kilima, UCA (OPV): for medium to slightly high altitude (900-1700 m); maturity of 110-130 days; yield potential of 45-65 bags of 90 kg / ha

Situka (OPV): for medium altitude (500-1600 m); maturity of 110-120 days; yield potential of 45-65 bags of 90 kg / ha; tolerant to low nitrogen; resistant to cob rots, grey leaf spot and maize streak virus

TMV-1 (OPV): for low to medium altitude (1-900 m); maturity of 110-120 days

Kito: for low to medium altitude (1-750 m); maturity of 90 days; yield potential of 22-30 bags of 90 kg / ha; drought tolerant

These are some of the maize varieties grown in Uganda:

Longe 4 (OPV): for low land to mid altitude areas; maturity of 100-115 days; yield potential of 40-55 bags of 90 kg / ha; tolerant to maize streak virus, rust and grey leaf spot.

Longe 8 H: for mid-altitude; maturity of 120-125 days; potential yield of 88--10 bags of 90 kg / ha; excellent husk cover; tolerant to cob rots, drought and poor soil; resistant to maize streak virus, northern leaf blight and grey leaf spot; a very popular hybrid in Uganda.

Longe 5 (Nalongo) (QPM Maize): for low land to mid altitude areas; maturity of 115 days; potential yield of 40-50 bags of 90 kg / ha; quality protein maize with lysine and tryptophan amino acids; drought tolerant; resistant to maize streak virus, grey leaf spot; moderately resistant to northern leaf blight.

Maize should be planted in blocks rather than a single row Partially filled ears are usually a result of poor pollination ‹ › ×

Propagation

Basic Requirements

Maize is a versatile crop that can grow in different varieties of soil, water, and climatic conditions. The crop has a wide range of tolerance to temperature conditions but grows well in warm regions where moisture is sufficient. The crop flourishes in regions with rainfall ranging from 1200mm to 2500mm but can adapt to regions receiving rainfall of up to 400 mm. The crop requires warm temperatures of between 15°C and 30 °C and thrives in a range of zones with altitudes ranging from 100 m to 2900 m ASL, depending on the variety.

The crop is sensitive to moisture stress around tasseling time and during cob formation. Growth is favorable under a pH ranging from 5-8 with 5.5-7 being optimal because it is sensitive to salinity.

Growing from Seed

The first step to getting maximum yield is ensuring you plant healthy, certified seeds. Apart from the varieties shown above, H614, H626, and H627 for attitudes ranging from 1500 to 2100 M ASL; KATUMANI, DH O2, DH O4, and Drought TEGO for attitudes ranging from 600 to 1300 M ASL; H 513, H 511, and H 516 for attitudes ranging from 800 to 1500 M ASL; and PH1, PH4 for attitudes ranging from 0 to 1200 M ASL are some of the other seed varieties planted in East Africa.

The piece of land for planting maize should be prepared early, before the onset of rains, for weeds to decompose before planting. The following procedure for planting can be followed:

Spray weeds with the appropriate chemicals.

Plough the land and make it level with a fine tilth. Considering the size of the land, machines like tractors or ox-drawn ploughs can be used, observing the correct spacing.

Mix soil with manure and biochar for efficient and improved nutrient uptake as well as stabilizing soil pH.

Make holes at a spacing of 90 x 30–50 cm if soil fertility is low or 75 x 25–50 cm if soil fertility is relatively high.

Place 1 or 2 seeds per hole, or alternate 1 and 2 seeds at a depth of about 4 cm if the soil is moist and about 10 cm if the soil is dry.

Cover the seeds with loose soil.

It is important to plant maize early in the season because late planting adversely affects yield. Plant within two weeks of the onset of rainfall in the highlands and before the onset of rainfall in the lowlands to make use of the scarce rainfall.

General Care and Maintenance

Gapping is done to replace seeds that did not germinate after others germinated completely. Thinning is done when maize has grown to about 15 cm in height by removing weak and deformed seedlings to make space for healthy seedlings in a hole.

To achieve maximum yield, fertilizer should be applied on time. Manure and biochar can also be added to soil with little or no organic matter. When planting manually, thoroughly mix soil with a teaspoonful of fertilizer into each planting hole to ensure that it doesn’t burn the seeds. Place the seeds on top of the soil and feel for softness. DAP is recommended for planting because it contains phosphorous, which helps in root development.

Maize can be top dressed with CA 2-3 weeks after planting or when it is 45 cm (1 ft) high. One teaspoon of fertilizer should be applied to the base of each plant, 15 cm away from the plant in a ring or along the row. Top dress in two stages in areas with heavy rainfall: the first six weeks after sowing and the second 10-15 days later, or just before tussling. In areas experiencing low rainfall, topdressing is done only once at a rate of 50–100 kg per acre. Using CAN and urea for topdressing is good because it fixes nitrogen in the soil. Nitrogen increases the green color of the leaves to make food for the plant.

Remove weeds mechanically, manually, or by using herbicides to prevent them from competing with the crops for nutrients, water, and light. First weeding, if done manually, should be done three weeks after planting, depending on the intensity of weeds in the field. Herbicides can be applied in two phases: pre-emergence, which is used before the maize germinates and weeds appear, and post-emergence, which is applied after the maize and weeds germinate.

Harvesting

Normally, each maize stalk should yield one large ear of maize, but in ideal conditions, the stalk can yield a second, slightly smaller ear that matures slightly later than the first. Maize is ready for harvesting when the kernels within the husks are well packed and produce a milky substance when the kernel is punctured.

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Physiological Diseases

Nitrogen deficiency The typical symptom of nitrogen deficiency is the plant turns pale green; a ‘V’ shaped yellow coloration on leaves. This pattern starts from leaf end to leaf collar. The symptom begin from lower to upper leaves.

Phosphorous deficiency The deficient plants are dark green and lower leaves show reddish-purple discoloration.

Potassium deficiency The leaf margins turn yellow and brown which appears like firing or drying. The symptoms progress from lower leaves to upper leaves.

Sulfur deficiency Symptom appears on younger leaves where we will see yellow color striping(interveinal chlorosis).

Zinc deficiency Upper leaves shows broad bands of yellow coloration and later turn pale brown or gray necrosis(dead-spots). The symptom first appears in the middle of leaves and progress outward.

Zinc deficiency Symptoms of Phosphorous deficiency Field maize plant, the bottom leaf of which is showing symptoms of nitrogen deficiency. Zinc deficiency. Shortening of internodes and light streaking of leaves followed by a broad stripe of bleached tissue on each side of the midrib. Occasionally the leaf edges and interior of the stalks at the nodes appear purplish. Leaves of maize showing characteristic "V" coloration indicating nitrogen deficiency. ‹ › ×