Maize is a versatile cereal crop used for food, fodder, and industrial purposes. It can be grown in both Kharif and Rabi seasons.
Maize
Zea mays
Cereal
Overview
Common Pests
Fall Armyworm (Spodoptera frugiperda)
Symptoms:
Large irregular holes in leaves; frass (caterpillar droppings) in whorl; severe damage to growing point.
Stem Borer (Chilo partellus)
Symptoms:
Dead heart in young plants; stem tunneling visible on splitting; broken stems in older plants.
Common Diseases
Maydis Leaf Blight
Symptoms:
Long tan-coloured boat-shaped lesions on leaves; premature drying of entire canopy.
Treatment:
Remove infected leaves early; improve inter-row air circulation by proper spacing.
Common Rust (Puccinia sorghi)
Symptoms:
Reddish-brown elongated pustules on both leaf surfaces; heavy infection reduces grain weight.
Treatment:
Apply sulfur-based fungicides if infection is severe; remove infected crop debris.
Soil Requirements
Maize prefers fertile, well-drained loamy soil. Waterlogging even for 24 hours can devastate yield. Choose fields with slopes or raised beds in high-rainfall areas.