Maize seed production

2. Introduction
The hybrid seeds are produced by
crossing female and male lines and harvesting
the seeds from female line. Maize hybrid seed
production there is no male sterility system in
female plants.

3. Suitable climate
• In Tamil Nadu, maize is cultivated during June
– July, September – October and January –
February seasons.
• Sowing during November - December is
suitable for seed production, since seed
maturity stage will not coincide with rainfall.

4. Isolation distance
• For this isolate the hybrid seed crop from
fields of other maize varieties with same seed
color by 200 m distance.

5. Land requirement
• Well drained sandy red or black soil is
suitable.
• The selected fields should be free from
volunteer maize plants.

6. Field preparation….
• Plough the field five to six times to get fine tilt.
• Spread 12.5 tons of FYM or composted coir
pith and 10 packets of Azospirillum in the
field.
• Prepare ridges and furrows with 60 cm
spacing.

7. Sowing operation
• Seed rate
Female -5kg/ha
Male-2 kg/ha
• Treat the seeds with Azospirillum.

8. Seed treatment
• To control the fungal disease treat the seed
with thiram at 2g kg-1 seed.
• One day after treat the seeds with 600 g of
Azospirillum with rice gruel and shade dry for
15 minutes.

9. Sowing
• Ridges and furrows at 60 cm spacing is to be
formed.
• 2 seeds per hill on the sides of ridges adopting
a spacing of 25 cm between the plant is sown.
• During sowing, a planting ratio of 4 female
lines and 2 male lines (4:2) should be
followed. Four female line rows should
alternate with two male rows.

10. Irrigation
• Up to 30 days, less irrigation is given.
• Then it is necessary to irrigate once in 10 days.
• Smooth silk will emerge out from the cob after
fertilization.

11. Fertilizer application
• Apply 25 tonnes of FYM per ha.
• Then apply inorganic fertilizers at 100 kg N,
100 kg P and 50 kg K per ha as basal dose.
• On 20th and 40th day after sowing, apply 50
kg N and 25 kg P as top dressing.

12. Micronutrient deficiency
• Zn and Mg deficiency occurs - leaves.
• Apply ZnSO4 @ 20 kg ha-1 as basal fertilizer.
• Apply micronutrient mixture @ 62.5 ha-1
mixed with 40 kg sand, after sowing the seeds.

13. Weed management
• Two hand weeding on 25 days and 45 days after
sowing.
• After weeding, apply fertilizers as top dressing
and do the earthing up operation.
• Herbicides can also be applied. Spraying of
Atrazin 500 g mixed in 1000 lit water and life
irrigation on third day control the weeds.
• Roguing

14. PLANT PROTECTION
INSECT CONTROL DISEASE CONTROL

15. Insect Control
Shoot fly - 2ml of endosulphan in 1l of
H2O.
Stem Borer - carbofuran granules @ 7.5
kg per acre @ 2 granules per plant

16. Shoot fly Stem borer

17. Disease Control
➵Downy Mildew:
Metalaxyl 72 WP @ 1 kg ha-1, or
Mancozeb 1 kg ha-1 20 days after sowing.
➵Leaf Spot:
Spray Mancozeb or Captan 1 kg ha-1

18. Downy mildew Leaf spot

19. Cob – female inflorescence Tassel – male inflorescence

20. DETASSELLING
Removal of tassels from female plants immediately after
emergence

21. HARVEST
• Judge the optimum harvest stage
• Male lines – Harvested first
• Female lines – Next
• Hybrid seed – seeds from the female line.

22. COB SORTING
• To maintain genetic purity
• Remove very small sized seeds
• Cobs – Difference in seed rows, seed
number and colour.
• Cobs – very less seeds

23. SHELLING
• Separation of seeds from the cob
• Moisture content
* seed – 15%
* cob – 25%
• Mechanical damage – 18%

24. SEED DRYING
• Reducing the moisture content
• To retain their viability
• Moisture content – 7%
• Temperature – 40° C
• Avoid - Drying under hot sun

25. SEED GRADING
• To maintain the quality from one season to
the next
* Other crop seeds
* Weed seeds (especially herbicide resistant
weeds)
* Straw, soil dust and other inert material.
* Immature, shriveled, damaged, cracked,
undersized or oversized seed
• Yield = 1500 Kg /ha

26. SEED STORAGE
• Captan 75%
• Wettable powder @ 70 g per 100 kg seeds
mixed in 500 ml water.
• Package - Cloth bag or Vapour proof
polyethylene bag.
• Storage – 1 to 1 ½ years.

27. SEED CERTIFICATION
• Genetic purity:
Seed gives rise to a plant of the same
varietal characteristics
• Physical purity:
Seed Is free from stones, broken
seeds, straw bits and leaf bits etc.,
• Physiological purity:
Germination and vigour

28. Contd.,
• Authenticated source
• Isolation distance
• Inspection
• Seed samples
• Certification tag - Blue

29. FIELD STANDARDS
FACTOR MAXIMUM
PERMITTED (%)
Off types (%) maximum 0.5%
Shedding tassel (%) maximum 1.0%

30. SEED STANDARDS
FACTOR MAXIMUM PERMITTED (%)
Physical purity 98%
Inert matter 2%
Other crop seeds 10/Kg
Germination (minimum) 90%
Moisture
For moisture vapour pervious
12%
For moisture vapour proof containers 8%

31. SHANTANU JADHAV