Issues related to low productivity of maize in Haryana

Abstract

In India, maize is next in importance only to rice and wheat and has acreage around 8.36 m.ha with a production of 16.72 mt during 2009-10. Haryana state grows maize in an area of 12,000 ha, with production of 27,000 tonnes. With reduction of groundwater in state, the farmers are shifting from unprofitable rice cultivation towards maize cultivation as it can be managed with 3�4 light irrigations. While cultivating the maize crop, the farmers come across various problems like less availability or non availability of the seed, improper irrigation facilities, adulteration in fertilizers, less availability of farm yard manure, etc. It is essential to understand the constraints in scientific maize cultivation practices to enhance the productivity. The study was conducted in two purposively selected progressive districts in Haryana during 2006-07. From each selected district two blocks, from each block two villages and from each village group of farmers were selected. The constraints in adoption of selected practices i.e., use of high yielding varieties (HYV), application of farm yard manure (FYM), application of synthetic nitrogenous fertilizer and irrigation were ascertained by asking open-ended questions to a group of farmer respondents using PRA tools, viz., focused group interview. These constraints were ranked by one key informant from each selected village of the study area by using preference ranking technique. The practice wise most serious constraint faced by the farmers in cultivating maize crop were less availability of quality seed at right time in use of HYV, less availability of dung due to mechanization in application of FYM, less availability of soil testing facility in nearby areas in application of synthetic nitrogenous fertilizer and less availability of electricity for operating pump set in irrigation. The suggestions given by farmers to overcome the constraints include promoting seed production of suited hybrid in selected village, supplementing dung with green manure, vermicompost, microbial culture etc for preparing FYM, providing soil testing facility in the village and to make electricity available during peak period. These suggestions will be helpful in enhancing productivity of maize in the state if due considerations would be given to it