Maize
(Zea mays L) is the most versatile crop with wider adaptability in varied
agro-ecologies. It has highest genetic yield potential among the food grain
crops. Globally, it is cultivated on nearly 150 m ha in about 160 countries
having wider diversity of soil, climate, biodiversity and management practices
that contributes 36 % (782 m t) in the global grain production. The United
States of America (USA) has the highest harvest of maize in the world that
contributes nearly 20 % of the total production in the world and is the driver
of the
US
economy. The other major countries that contribute significantly to the global
maize production are
China
,
Brazil
,
Mexico
,
India
and
Indonesia
. The
USA
has the highest productivity (> 9.6 t ha-1) which is
double than the global average productivity (4.92 t ha-1). Whereas,
the average productivity in
Argentina
,
China
,
Brazil
,
Mexico
and
India
are 6.47, 4.85, 3.7, 2.53 and 2.43 t ha-1, respectively.
In
India
, maize is the 3rd most important food crops after rice and wheat. It
is cultivated in 8.12 m ha (2007-08) under a wide range of agro-ecological
situations. Maize in
India
, contributes nearly 8 % in the national food basket and more than Rs. 100
billion to the agricultural GDP at current prices apart from the providing
employment to over 100 million man-days at the farm and downstream agricultural
and industrial sectors. In addition to staple food for human being and quality
feed for animals, maize serves as a basic raw material as an ingredient to
thousands of industrial products that includes starch, oil, protein, alcoholic
beverages, food sweeteners, pharmaceutical, cosmetic, film, textile, gum,
package and paper industries etc.
Recent
trends (2003-04 to 2007-08) in growth rate of area (2.6 %), production (6.4 %)
and productivity (3.6 %) of maize in
India
has been of high order and experienced highest growth rate among the food
crops. Since 1950-51, the area, production and productivity of maize have
increased by more than 2.5, 11 and 4 times from 3.2 m ha, 1.7 m t and 547 kg ha-1
to current level of 8.12 m ha, 19.77 m t and 2435 kg ha-1,
respectively due to increasing demand of maize for diversified purposes. In
India
, the maize is used as human food (25%),
poultry feed (49%), animal feed (12 %), industrial (starch) products (12%),
beverages and seed (1 % each). With the
increasing trends of maize production, the projected demand of
maize (22.73 mt) by the end of XIth five year plan (2011-12) will be achieved
through improved maize production technologies focused on ‘Single Cross
Hybrids’.
The maize is cultivated throughout the year in different parts of the
country for various purposes including grain, fodder, green cobs, sweet corn,
baby corn, pop corn etc. The major maize growing states that contributes more
than 80% of the total maize production are Andhra Pradesh (20.9 %), Karnataka
(16.5%), Rajasthan (9.9 %), Maharastra (9.1%), Bihar (8.9%), Uttar Pradesh (6.1
%), Madhya Pradesh (5.7 %), Himachal Pradesh (4.4 %). Hence, the maize has
emerged as important crop in the non-traditional regions i.e. peninsular
India
as the state like Andhra Pradesh which ranks 5th in area (0.79 m ha)
has recorded highest production (4.14 mt) and productivity (5.26 t/ha) in the
country.