Effect of crop intensification on important diseases of Maize (Zea mays L.)
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Date
2020-02
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G.B. Pant University of Agriculture and Technology, Pantnagar - 263145 (Uttarakhand)
Abstract
Maize (Zea mays L.) is not only an important cereal crop for food, feed and fodder but also a basic element of raw material for manufacturing of many industrial products. There is a necessity and opportunity to increase India’s maize production in coming years. Increasing the maize production by enhancing the crop productivity through crop intensification is a viable strategy to achieve the goal. Diseases are the major constrains in limiting the production of maize. About 65 diseases are known to occur in India causing about 15-20 percent yield losses annually. In tarai region of Uttarakhand Banded leaf and sheath blight (BLSB), Bacterial stalk rot (BSR) and Maydis leaf blight (MLB) is considered as serious problem in kharif maize. Production practices like cultivars, tillage practices, sowing methods, plant density nutrition management etc. strive to maximize the yield, but how plants respond to these practices in different environments are not well understood. Therefore, present investigations were undertaken to know the influence of cultivars, plant spacing, tillage practices, different sowing methods, nutrition and disease management practices over important diseases of maize. Field experiments were carried out at NEBCRC of GBPUA&T, Pantnagar during the Kharif season of 2017 and 2018 and disease assessment was done under natural conditions. Low incidence and severity of BLSB, BSR and MLB were recorded in hybrid DH 296 as compared to P1844 under spacing of 67.5 cm × 20 cm but 67.5 cm × 15 cm provided higher yield. Site specific nutrient management (SSNM) found to be better in minimizing disease incidence and severity but higher yield was recorded in Soil test crop response (STCR) which was found at par with SSNM. Lowest incidence and severity of BLSB, BSR and MLB was recorded in Conventional tillage followed by zero tillage and Permanent beds but no significant difference was seen in yield. Minimum incidence and severity of BLSB, BSR and MLB were observed in raised bed planting which was at par with paired row planting followed by flat planting protected with Chemical management followed by Integrated management. Biological control was found the least effective. It is concluded that hybrid DH 296 with spacing of 67.5 cm × 15 cm planted on raised beds under Conventional tillage practices with SSNM, if protected against various diseases either with chemicals or Integrated management practices found superior in minimizing the major diseases like BLSB, BSR, MLB and increasing the maize yield.
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