Pratap Sankar-3, the hybrid maize variety developed by scientists at Maharana Pratap University of Agriculture and Technology, Udaipur has not only been acclaimed as one of the highest yielding variety for drought prone areas but also has been recommended for wide adoption by farmers in Gujarat, Madhya Pradesh and Chhattisgarh too.

This variety demands less irrigation spell, is drought and pest tolerant compared to many existing varieties grown in the area.

At the national workshop of All India Coordinated Research Project on Maize Improvement recently held here, in all 33 new varieties developed by various scientists from the agriculture universities across the country had been put forth for recommendation and release by the experts of the Directorate of Maize research, New Delhi of which 25 hybrid varieties gained recognition and Pratap 3 was one of them.

‘Under the project, earlier few varieties from Udaipur has already been released like Aravali Makka-1, Pratap, Pratap Makka-4, Pratap Makka-5, Pratap Makka Chari-6 and two hybrids-Pratap hybrid Maize -1 and Pratap QPM Hybrid-1 which are performing well in the rainfed kharif and rabi seasons in this region’ said Dr P.L Maliwal, Director Research of MPUAT.

Now Pratap 3 has been recommended for adoption in agriculture zone number five comprising states of Gujarat, Madhya Pradesh and Chhattisgarh apart from Rajasthan.

The yield is 55 to 60 quintal per hectare and falls in the early maturity category as the crop is ready for reap within 84 to 88 days of sowing. Maize aka Makka is predominantly grown in southern Rajasthan (Zone IVA) comprising Udaipur, Rajsamand, Bhilwara and Chittorgarh that belong to erstwhile state of ‘Mewar’.

It also has sizeable area in the adjoining zone IVB i.e.Dungarpur, Banswara and Pratapgarh. Since maize is the staple food in this region, therefore, Mewar and Makka is almost synonyms. Being 80% area under rainfed conditions, maize production in Rajasthan i.e. 17.8 q/ha. is far below the national average production of maize i.e. 25.66 q/ha.

by Geetha Sunil Pillai