MAIZE, SORGHUM AND MILLET
 

OBJECTIVES

• Acquisition and distribution of germplasm

• Plan and conduct annual Planning meeting and traveling seminars for scientists of maize, sorghum and millet crops

• Derivation/Maintenance of inbred lines for hybrid production

• Development of early/medium maturity maize varieties and hybrids for specific climatic conditions

• Evaluation/testing of national and international maize materials

• Development of germplasm sources tolerant to drought, cold, insect pests and other stress environments

• Development of low cost effective production technology for farmers

RESEARCH PROJECTS /ACTIVITIES
Germplasm Improvement

• Early maturity, high yielding drought tolerant germplasm for rainfed and highland areas.

• Hybrid/varietal development for specific climatic conditions.

• Development of Quality Protein maize hybrids and varieties.

• Tolerance of high density.

Crop Stand Establishment

• Improved plant distribution

• Improved seed germination

Improved Nutrients Management

• Economical / Efficient use of nutrients under rainfed condition

Research in Crop Protection Measures

• Host Plant Resistance against stem borer (Chilo partellus) and shoot fly (Athrigona soccata) in maize and sorghum under artificial infestation

• Efficacy of newly introduced insecticides.

Diversifying Maize Production & Utilization

• Development and promotion of baby corn

• Exploring diversified use of sorghum for ethanol production

Economical Weed Management under rainfed conditions

• Efficient post emergence herbicide

• Innovation in herbicides application.

• Control of perennial weeds

• Weed control through deep tillage.

Seed Produciton

• Production of pre-basic and basic seed of varieties

• Quality seed production of OPVs for testing and distribution to farmers of rainfed and highland areas

• Seed increase/maintenance of hybrids and their parental lines

TECHNOLOGIES GENERATED/RESEARCH ACHIEVEMENTS

• Package of production technologies for rainfed and highland areas.

• Technology of Grain cum fodder for getting required fodder without loosing grains from the same maize field.

• Low cost production technologies developed for resource poor (low income) farmers. This will lead the farmers towards complete improved technology.

• Deep tillage technology for moisture conservation and weed control introduced.

• Electrical / Manual maize Sheller designed and introduced to farmers specially in hilly areas.

• Economical and effective chemical control of perennial weeds like Sorghum helipense in rainfed areas.

• Environment friendly maize stem borer resistant technology through Host Plant Resistance.

• Technology for artificial infestation of maize stem borer on maize crop and sorghum crops.

• Technology for minimum biohazard of pesticide for the control of stem borer and shoot fly.

• Optimized scheduling of granules application for the control of maize stem borer and shoot fly.

• Developed a Spraying Boom for herbicide application used with Knap Sack spraying pump with two -fold efficiency.

VARIETIES DEVELOPED/RELEASED

HYBRID DEVELOPMENT

• The parental lines of the best performing Maize hybrid NARC- 2704 were purified.

• 175 better maize lines are in hand and at S2 – S5 stages.

• A total of 185 white and 395 yellow new maize hybrid combinations are under testing process.

• Constituted 200 Sorghum crosses among A & R lines to develop new hybrids.

ANALYSIS OF SWEET SORGHUM PLANTS FROM NARC FOR SUITABILITY OF ETHANOL PRODUCTION

OTHER ACHIEVEMENTS

• About 19960 maize, 3364 sorghum and 1993 millet exotic germplasm were acquired evaluated and distributed to breeders in country. 25 maize, 6 sorghum and 5 millet varieties developed and released under NARS.

• Maize research has developed and released a number of improved maize varieties / hybrids. Maize varieties viz. Agaiti-2002, Sahiwal-2002, Golden, MMRI Yellow, Pearl, Sarhed White, Sarhad Yellow, Kisan, Pahari, Kashmir Gold, Iqbal, Jalal, Azam are currently under cultivation. Maize hybrids developed by public sectors i.e., Ghouri and Babar, Karamat, FH-810 and Yousafwala hybrid are currently under cultivation. In addition many hybrids from private sectors are also grown. These improved varieties have 2 fold yield potential under appropriate crop management system. These varieties are widely accepted by the farmers and are grown on more than 35% of the area under maize. All hybrids collectively (mainly from private sectors) are grown on about 28% area under maize.

• Several promising genetically broad-based maize pools/population have been established at MMRI, Yousafwala; CCRI, Pirsabak and NARC, Islamabad for varietal development. Prospects for even better open pollinated varieties are good for the near future.

• Adaptability/National Uniform Yield Trial (NUYT) provides an opportunity to the maize scientists in public sectors and seed companies to evaluate their material in different environments in the country which otherwise they can not have. It also provides option to extension workers and maize agronomist to select the best performing material for their areas where a regular breeding programme is not existing. The coordinated maize research programme regularly organizes two types of NUYTs for maize (Varietal and Hybrid) in both seasons (spring and autumn), one for sorghum and one for millet in autumn season every year. Every year these trials are planted at 15-25 locations throughout the country. The recommendation and release of maize varieties for general cultivation in provinces like Baluchistan and Sind is the out come of such activity.

• Cost effective Fertilizer levels for Rainfed and Marginal areas delivered to the farmers (121% increased income).

• Efficient / economical weed control by Chemical herbicides identified and recommended for general adoption (35% increased income).

• BR-1, BR-2 and BR-3 tolerant source against maize stem border developed.

• Under heavy rainfall conditions, planting of maize on ridges is recommended.

• The coordinated programme provide a very effective and strong linkage to maize scientists both at National and International levels, universities and with private seed companies.

• At national level it coordinates maize research activities among maize research institutes, extension, agricultural, universities, private seed companies and maize processing industries while at international level it has linked our scientists with many international agencies i.e. CIMMYT, FAO, IITA, ICRISAT and Asian Regional Network. The exchange of maize germplasm, research information and exchange of visiting scientists have provided a global update to our scientists regarding maize research activities.

• The coordinated programme has played an active role in the development of manpower in the country. So far the following Nos of training opportunities in maize have been provided by the programme, locally and abroad:

            -    Ph. D. Abroad 7

            -    Ph. D. Local 6

            -    M.Sc. Abroad 7

            -    M.Sc. Local 5

            -    Short term Abroad 50

            -    Short term Local 120

• The maize programme organizes national international workshop / seminars on important topics regarding maize research to provide an opportunity to maize scientists in the country for keeping them in touch with modern research findings and techniques. Since its beginning the following meetings have been organized:

            -    International Workshops = 2

            -    National Seminars = 2

            -    Traveling Workshops = 8

• The programme has been regularly disseminating the scientific information and research findings through publication on the research findings in scientific journals, review articles, brochures and handy pamphlets. About 53 publications have been distributed to maize scientists, extension worker and interested growers.

• In addition, the programme regularly organized about 11 annual meetings of maize scientists to discuss and present the research finding and plan and scrutinize the annual maize research plans. It also provides a limited financial support of about one million rupees annually to its research units for very crucial research projects to be carried out on priority basis.

• The Programme provides services to universities, other disciplines, extension workers and farmers in the form of literature, seed, guidance, lectures and demonstration of technologies. It also trained the student internees of different universities. It also supervises the students for their thesis research. Maize entomologist scrutinized about 120 Msc and 5 PhD research synopses of the entomology students of PMAS Arid Agriculture University. The scientists of the programme also act as external examiner for MSc students.

• Entomologist and breeder act as member of Field Technical Monitoring Committee and evaluate GM corn containment trials planted by various seed companies for insect damage, herbicide (Round up) effect on weeds and crop and also breeding aspects.

STATUS PAPER