Ludhiana: Three maize hybrids developed by Punjab Agricultural University (PAU) have been selected for national release by the varietal identification committee (VIC) of the Indian Council of Agricultural Research (ICAR). The selection was made under the chairmanship of Dr. D.K. Yadava, deputy director general (crop sciences), ICAR, during the 68th annual meeting of the All India Coordinated Research Programme (AICRP) on maize, recently held at Tamil Nadu Agricultural University in Coimbatore. The approved hybrids include Punjab Baby Corn 3, PMH 18, and PMH 19, reported The Times of India.
Punjab Baby Corn 3 (JH 32484) has been approved for release in four out of the five AICRP maize zones — Zones I, III, IV, and V — encompassing a diverse range of states such as Jammu and Kashmir, Himachal Pradesh, Uttarakhand (Hills), the North Eastern Hill Region, Bihar, Jharkhand, Odisha, West Bengal, Eastern Uttar Pradesh, Andhra Pradesh, Telangana, Karnataka, Tamil Nadu, Maharashtra, Gujarat, Rajasthan, Madhya Pradesh, and Chhattisgarh. This hybrid recorded up to 36.69% higher baby corn yield compared to existing varieties.
PMH 18 (JH 20088), a medium-maturing hybrid developed for the Kharif season, has been identified for release in the Central Western Zone (CWZ), which includes Gujarat, Rajasthan, Madhya Pradesh, and Chhattisgarh. It achieved an average grain yield of 8,068 kg/ha, surpassing the performance of existing checks BIO 9544, CMH08-292, and LG 34.05 by 9.6%, 11.08%, and 14.4%, respectively.
PMH 19 (JH 18056), a medium-maturing hybrid developed for the Spring maize season, has been identified for release in the North-Western Plains Zone (NWPZ), which covers Punjab, Haryana, Delhi, the plains of Uttarakhand, and Western Uttar Pradesh. It recorded an average yield of 10,441 kg/ha, demonstrating a yield advantage of 6.4% over BIO 9544 and 17.1% over DHM 117.
The success was further celebrated by Dr AS Dhatt, Director of Research, and Dr GS Mangat, Additional Director of Research at PAU. Special recognition was given to Dr Surinder Sandhu, who leads the maize research efforts, and her team of scientists for their crucial contributions. This development promises to enhance maize production and benefit farmers across various agro-climatic zones in India.
