PUSA, INDIA
Rajendra Agricultural University
Origin of Rabi (winter) maize in India
--V. K. Chaudhary and V. K. Shahi
Rabi (winter) cultivation of maize is a
relatively new introduction to the state of Bihar in particular and the
country as a whole. For the first time maize crop was grown in winter (starting
from the 15th of October) on farmers' fields during 1961 following the
release of high yielding hybrids. Its origin dates back to the period when
high yielding hybrids bred in India were not becoming successful in the
late 50's. Attempts were made in the state of Bihar during kharif (rainy)
season (starting from June) in the year 1959 to grow hybrids like Texas-26,
Texas-32 and Dixie-11 obtained from the United States of America (USA),
knowing the fact that these varieties had given high yield in the past
under Indian conditions in the farmer's field as well as on government
farms. Seeds of double cross hybrids from USA were imported and also produced
in the country from imported single cross hybrid seeds. This project was
taken in collaboration with Dr. L. M. Humphrey, Agriculture adviser to
the technical cooperation mission of USA. None of the hybrids from USA
gave expected good yield and crops did not come up well during kharif season
of 1959. On getting discouraging reports about poor performance of these
hybrids from different parts of the state, the government of Bihar entrusted
Dr. Rameshwar Singh, the then Maize and Millet Specialist, at Dholi-Pusa
Centre, with the task of detail check-up of the crops grown during the
season and directed him to submit a report indicating reasons for poor
performance of the hybrids from USA. After investigation of field experiments
grown at various places in the state it was found that besides other small
managerial factors the crop had greatly suffered due to heavy rainfall
which is of usual occurrence in this season. It was therefore decided by
Dr. Singh and his associates then to grow these hybrids, their single cross
parents and the inbreds involved during Rabi season with the hope that
they may do better in the milder winter condition of Bihar. Inbreds, single
crosses and double crosses of the hybrids from the USA were grown in Rabi
season at Dholi-Pusa campus which grew very well in winter condition and
produced disease free vigorous crops. Crops grown from Texas-26 in a one
acre area also gave a yield of 80 quintals per hectare. This was the turning
point for revolutionizing maize cultivation in Bihar and other parts of
the country. A mere glimpse of the possibility of getting higher yield
from Rabi crop and also that the hybrids bred for Indian conditions were
on the anvil, led to the start of a series of trials to find the best hybrid
and agronomic practices for getting optimum yield from the crop. At the
same time seed production and demonstrations on the farmers' fields were
started. Multi-pronged attacks, without waiting for confirmative test of
the possibility of growing maize in Rabi season, led to a maize revolution
in this state (Singh, 1988). Total area under maize cultivation in Bihar
during 1960-61 was nearly 8.5 lakh hectares grown only as kharif crop.
At present out of a total area of nearly 8 lakh hectares, Rabi maize is
being grown in an area of approximately 4 lakh hectares causing a shift
of acreage from kharif to Rabi season. Rabi maize has the clear-cut comparative
advantage of low incidence of diseases and insect pests, crops do not suffer
on account of heavy rainfall, slow growth of weeds, etc. and hence, preferred
by the farmers. These factors singly and in combination favoured the adoption
of Rabi maize cultivation in Bihar. Later it caught the attention in other
parts of the country like West Bengal, Uttar Pradesh, Madhya Pradesh, Tamil
Nadu, Karnataka, Punjab, etc., where it is being grown successfully. Hence,
Dholi-Pusa Centre, which is now the main campus of Rajendra Agricultural
University, Bihar is the sheet of origin of Rabi maize cultivation which
is fetching millions of rupees to the Indian farmers to boost their economy
up. A concrete and significant effort indeed.
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