Maize

Climate And Soils

Climate Soils

Climate

  • Maize crop is warm weather loving crop and it is grown in wide range of climatic conditions.
  • About 85% of the total acreage under maize is grown during mansoon because of the fact that the crop stops growing if the night temperature falls below 15.60 C or 600 F.
  • Maize cannot with stand frost at any stage.
  • Maize can successfully grown in areas receiving an annual rainfall of 60 cm, which should be well distributed throughout its growing stage.
  • Crop needs more than 50% of its total water requirements in about 30 to 35 days after tasseling and inadequate soil moisture at grain filling stage results in a poor yield of shriveled grains.
  • Maize needs bright sunny days for its accelerated photosynthetic activity and rapid growth of plants.
  • Prolonged cloudy period is harmful for the crop but an intermittent sunlight and cloud of rain is the most ideal for its growth.

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Soil

  • Deep fertile soils rich in organic matter and well-drained soils are the most preferred ones however maize can be grown on variety of soils.
  • Soil should be medium textured with good water holding capacity.
  • Loam or silt loam surface soil and brown silt clay loam having fairly permeable sub soil are the ideal soil types.
  • Crop is very sensitive to water logging.
  • As the crop is mainly grown in kharif season well drained soils are required.
  • The pH should be between 6.5 to 7.5 along with CEC of 20 meq/100g and base saturation of 70 to 90 per cent, bulk density of 1.3 g/cc water holding capacity of about 16 cm per meter depth.

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Telangana

Maize