Given the diverse use of maize for human consumption, animal feed and industrial raw material, is maize is going to play as a major rabi crop in the coastal region in general and coastal saline region in particular.
Please give comments on how to increse the maize acerage and reduce the fallow area as well as increase farmers income.
Maize is an important crop both in Bangladesh and Nepal. Avilability of good quality seeds of good quality hybrids is also an important factor.
Maize can be grown everywhere if weather condition (extremely low and high temperatures) is not a limiting factor.
Linking farmers with the market is one of the major aspects for increasing the area.
Temperature may not be a constraint in adoption and cultivation of rabi maize in coastal areas. However, the major concern may be the saline soil and excess soil moisture (if any). So, it requires a specialized breeding programme for saline soil of coastal areas along with immediate collection and testing of promising maize hybrids in the saline soil of coastal areas. I think it is good idea to extend maize cultivation in coastal areas during the rabi season and harness the advantage of mild temperature in increasing yield potential.
Yes, excess soil moisture during the inital period and salinity during later period are constraints. Some of the hybrids along with management practices of raised bed planting, straw mulching are giving good results. However, specialized breeding programme for coastal saline soils is very much required. Thanks a lot for this valuable suggestions.
@Sukanta K. Sarangi
You are absolutely right. In the direction of extending maize in coastal areas, testing of maize hybrids during the rabi season seems to be a right and economically most feasible step. Upon getting ground response after testing released maize hybrids, other strategies can be adopted.
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