After the first successful agricultural breakthrough in growing hybrid maize for seed production in Punjab, the Indian Institute of Maize Research (IIMR) is set to conduct trials for cultivating the commercial crop for its first seed production during the spring season in February.
Experts at the Ludhiana-based IIMR, an organ of the Indian Council of Agricultural Research (ICAR), said field experiments conducted since 2023 confirmed that the soil and climatic conditions in Punjab were conducive to growing hybrid maize for seed production. A farmer needs new seeds in each sowing season for growing hybrid crops.
IIMR director Hanuman Sahay Jat said that currently, 95% of hybrid maize seeds are produced in the peninsula states of Andhra Pradesh and Telangana, which leads to a higher cost due to transportation. “Localised seed production would be immensely beneficial to boost the promotion of maize cultivation and provide farmers an opportunity to enhance their agricultural income,” added Jat.
Senior maize breeder at the IIMR, Bhupender Kumar, said a field trial was undertaken during the late kharif season in August when hybrid maize was sown in Moga. He said seeds harvested during late kharif can be directly used for spring maize cultivation after potato harvesting, eliminating the need for long-term storage and associated costs.
“We had used hybrid DMRH 1308 in the field of Sharanveer Singh at Gajiana village. Before that, the hybrid was sown for two consecutive kharif seasons at the Ludhiana farm of the institute. Three years of trials at the institute at the farmer’s field confirmed that sowing hybrid maize for seeds is feasible in Punjab. After the benchmark, we intend to audit the cultivation of hybrid maize during the spring period strictly for the purpose of producing seeds,” said the scientist at the central institute.
{{/usCountry}}“We had used hybrid DMRH 1308 in the field of Sharanveer Singh at Gajiana village. Before that, the hybrid was sown for two consecutive kharif seasons at the Ludhiana farm of the institute. Three years of trials at the institute at the farmer’s field confirmed that sowing hybrid maize for seeds is feasible in Punjab. After the benchmark, we intend to audit the cultivation of hybrid maize during the spring period strictly for the purpose of producing seeds,” said the scientist at the central institute.
{{/usCountry}}He said farmers, mainly potato growers, are being identified for limited trials of hybrid seed production starting next month. Kumar said that at present, maize hybrid seeds used in Punjab are entirely dependent upon the south Indian states, which costs them about ₹1,000 per kg during the peak season.
“Long-distance movement to the north Indian region significantly increases seed and cultivation costs for farmers. The average cost of seed production and processing per kg ranges from ₹50 to ₹60. This indicates that a substantial amount of expenditure can be saved, thereby contributing significantly to enhanced profitability and improved livelihoods of farmers,” he added.
A 34-year-old progressive farmer, Sharanveer, who is now ready to be part of a hybrid seed production trial in the spring season, said that success would open new avenues for farmers. “The state and the central governments are promoting twin targets—farm diversification and boosting the cultivation of maize as a biofuel. With trials underway to grow hybrid maize for seed production sufficient to meet the state’s needs, farmers will benefit from the availability of quality seeds at lower prices,” said Singh, also a postgraduate in food science from Punjab Agricultural University (PAU).