1. Directorate of Maize Research
Recommended varieties, package & practices and Roadmap of maize development in NE state
Vinay Mahajan
Principal Scientist
Directorate of Maize Research
Pusa Campus, New Delhi

2. Maize Development in NE Region
Climate Change in NE Region and its affect on crop yield
Adaptable maize hybrids Improved Agronomic practices
Roadmap for Maize Development in NE Region
Rich in Germplasm and Adaptability of Genotypes
New Genetic Material and Seed Production
Abiotic-Biotic factors
Equipping Farmers with Latest Technology
Biotechnology tools

3. Climate change in NE region
Directorate of Maize Research
Climate change in NE region
Monthly Rainfall distribution over three block years of Jorhat region
Reduction in total rainfall by 425 mm
Change in shift in peak and spread of Rainfall

4. Rainfall pattern in different months of kharif season and different agro-climatic zones

5. Directorate of Maize Research
Performance of checks for days to anthesis, days to silk and yield in their respective years of testing
Days to anthesis
Days to silk
Yield (kg/ha)

6. Performance of maize in different zones

7. Assessment of Climate Change in NE region
Climate change research, includes
Key climate variables are
Temperature fluctuations
Erratic monsoon (intensity and
frequency)
Humidity
Soil erosion
Critical assessment of different
crops/zones for vulnerability to
climatic stresses and extreme events,
especially of intra-seasonal
variability of rainfall, temperature, disease severity etc
Source: NESAC (2009), Shillong

8. Hybrids (Extra-Early) Suitable for NEH
Hybrid/ Composite
Yield (q/ha)
Recommended area for cultivation
Source for Seed
Remarks
Vivek Maize Hybrid 45
(2013) 60
UK, HP, J&K, NEH region & Identified for I,II,III,IV
VPKAS, Almora
Yellow, semi-flint, flat bold seed, tolerance to TLB & MLB
Vivek Maize Hybrid 39
(2012) 58
UK, HP, J&K, NEH region
Yellow, semi-flint, flat bold, tolerance to TLB
Vivek Maize Hybrid 33 (2008) 57
Yellow, semi-flint, bold, tolerance to BLSB, BSDM
Vivek Maize Hybrid 25 (2007) 55
Yellow, semi-flint, bold, tolerance to TLB

9. Hybrids/Composite (Extra-Early) Suitable for NEH
Hybrid/ Composite
Yield (q/ha)
Recommended area for cultivation
Source for Seed
Remarks
Vivek Maize Hybrid 21 (2007) 50
UK, HP, J&K, NEH region, Del, Pub, Har, West UP, AP, TN Mah, Kar
VPKAS, Almora
Yellow, semi-flint, bold, tolerance to TLB
Pusa Extra-Early Hybrid 5 (2004)
J&K, UK, NE, HP, Assam, Har, Pub, Ap, TN, Mah, Kar
IARI, New Delhi
Tolerance to TLB, MLB, ESR
Composite
Vivek Sankul Makka 35
(2009) 48
UK, HP, J&K, NEH region
Yellow dent flat, tolerant to TLB

10. Vivek Maize Hybrid 45 Yield: 60 q/ha
Adaptation: Zone I (UK, HP, J&K, NEH)
Grain: Yellow, Semi-Flint, flat bold seed
Maturity: days
Plant height : 200 cm
Yield: 60 q/ha

11. Vivek Maize Hybrid 39 Yield: 56-58q/ha
Adaptation: Zone I (UK, HP, J&K, NEH)
Grain: Yellow with cap, Semi-Flint
Maturity: days
Plant height : 180cm
Yield: 56-58q/ha

12. Vivek Maize Hybrid 33 Yield: 55-57 q/ha
Adaptation: Zone I (Hills of UK, HP, J&K and NEH)
Grain: Yellow Dent flat,
Tolerant to turcicum leaf blight
Plant height : cm; Maturity: days; Ear Shape: Conico-cylindrical; 1000-Gr Wt: 265 g
Yield: q/ha

13. Vivek Maize Hybrid 25 Yield: 60-65 q/ha
Adaptation: Zone I (Himalayan hills up to 2200 m amsl)
Grain: Yellow bold, semi-dent; Plant height: cm; Maturity days;
Highly tolerant to leaf blight (Highest: 2.3)
Yield: q/ha

14. Vivek Maize Hybrid 21 Yield: 55-60 q/ha
Adaptation: Zone I, II & IV (Andhra Pradesh, Maharashtra, Karnataka, Tamilnadu, Delhi, Haryana, Punjab Western UP and Himalayan hills upto 2200m amsl
Grain: Yellow Semi-dent; Tolerant to turcicum blight
Plant height : cm; Maturity: days;
Yield: q/ha

15. Vivek Sankul Makka 35 Yield: 50-55 q/ha
Adaptation: Zone I (UK, HP, J&K, NEH Region)
Grain: Yellow Flint
Maturity: days
Plant height : 177cm
Yield: q/ha

16. QPM Maize Hybrids Suitable NE Region
Hybrid/ Composite
Yield (q/ha)
Recommended area for cultivation
Source for Seed
Remarks
Vivek QPM 9 (2008) 55
Himalayan Region & Peninsular India
VPKAS, Almora
Yellow, semi-flint, perform better at low N
HQPM 5 (2007) 58
All over the country
CCS HAU, Karnal
Orange, Flint, Resis. to MLB
HQPM 1 (2007) 62
J&K, UK, HP, NE, Assam
Yellow, Dent, Tol. to Frost/ cold, Resis. to MLB & Rust

17. Vivek QPM 9 First Extra- Early QPM version of Vivek Maize Hybrid 9
Adaptation: Uttarakhand Hills & Zone I & IV
Grain: Yellow semi-flint
Yield: q/ha (Organic)
58-60 q/ha Zone I
50-55 q/ha Zone IV
Maturity: 85-90days;
Plant height : cm

18. Babycorn Composites/ Hybrids
Yield (q/ha)
Recommended area for cultivation
Source for Seed
Remarks
VL Babycorn 1 (2004)
70-80 q/ha (With Husk)
12-14 q/ha (Without husk)
All over India
VPKAS Almora, Uttarakhand
Seed Yield: q/ha, Early, Yellow
HM 4 (2005)
Seed Yield: 68 q/ha
Across the country
CCS HAU regional Center, Karnal
Can be used as babycorn, Orange flint medium maturity

19. VL Babycorn-1 (Composite)
Adaptation: Throughout the country
Parentage: [(VL 16 X Murulia) x VL 16) X VL 16)]
Highly prolific ( ears/plant), conical shaped, straight ovary rows, creamy yellow, sweet and tolerant to turcicum blight and high plant density
Babycorn yield – q/ha + Green fodder yield – 300 q/ha
Seed Yield: 40 q/ha
First Babycorn composite Released for All India

20. Roadmap for Maize Development in NE Region

21. Rich in Germplasm and Adaptable Genotypes
Diverse materials with several adaptive traits
Local landraces have better adaptability
Good combiners from local land races
Genotypes can be preferably used as female line
Utilisation of Near-Related species that offer natural tolerance to stresses
Good Crossing ability among some Genus/ species
Protecting and strengthening conservation programs of genetic diversity and special efforts on Farmer’s Participation for on-site preservation of local land races
Adaptive traits differ according to the climatic conditions; emphasis on early and medium maturing hybrids

22. New Genetic Material and Seed Production
Evaluation of AICMIP trials with new genetic materials and identification of promising adapted genotypes for the NE region
Increase in the number of field evaluations: Multi- location evaluations over seasons
Emphasis on hybrid seed production in mission mode approach
Ensuring the timely availability of inputs like seed, fertilizers and other inputs even to the remote farmers

23. Climate change and Abiotic-Biotic factors
Understanding climate change in NE region
Crops and varieties are required to withstand unpredictable biotic and abiotic stresses
Manage Limited / Excess water stress (anaerobic)
Water lodging (germination/flowering/grain filling)
Drought in winter season
Monitoring of stresses: Intensity and Duration
Germination & Seedling Establishment under prolonged high moisture condition (Anaerobic)
Low-Nitrogen tolerance and increase Nitrogen Use Efficiency
Disease resistance (BLSB, TLB)
Recovery from the stress under field conditions

24. Equipping Farmers with Latest Technology
Sensitizing the state agricultural officers on new and noval technologies in maize
Assist and educate farmers in latest technology under changing climate
Adapting new technology suitable farming systems
Provide farmers with affordable genotypes and techniques
Simultaneous scaling up of outputs through KVKs and the National Mission on Sustainable Agriculture for wider adoption by the farmers

25. Marker Assisted Selection Vivek QPM 9
New breeding method based on genotypic selection
Genetic architecture of the trait should decide ways of marker intervention (Rex Bernardo, 2008)
In Genotype X environment interaction if genotype explains larger portion of variation then genetic markers can be used to select desirable phenotype; if phenotype is determined largely by environment then changes in agronomy are effective in producing desirable types
Cross
Segregating population
Genotype
phenotype
QTL
Gene discovery
New variety
Responsive genes
Candidate genes

26. Saluting the variability of NE Region
Thanks