Three PAU maize hybrids set for national release

Three maize hybrids, developed by Punjab Agricultural University (PAU), have been identified for national release by the varietal identification committee (VIC) of the Indian Council of Agricultural Research (ICAR). The varieties comprised Punjab baby corn 3, PMH 18 and PMH 19.

The identification took place under the chairmanship of DK Yadava, Deputy Director General (Crop Sciences), ICAR, during the 68th annual meeting of the All India Coordinated Research Programme (AICRP) on Maize, held at Tamil Nadu Agricultural University, Coimbatore, recently.

Punjab baby corn 3 (JH 32484) was identified for release in four of the five AICRP maize zones — I, III, IV and V — covering a wide range of states including Jammu and Kashmir, Himachal Pradesh, Uttarakhand (hills), the northeastern hill region, Bihar, Jharkhand, Odisha, West Bengal, eastern Uttar Pradesh, Andhra Pradesh, Telangana, Karnataka, Tamil Nadu, Maharashtra, Gujarat, Rajasthan, Madhya Pradesh, and Chhattisgarh. The hybrid demonstrated up to 36.69 per cent higher baby corn yield over existing checks.

PMH 18 (JH 20088), a medium-maturing kharif hybrid, was identified for the central western zone (CWZ), comprising Gujarat, Rajasthan, Madhya Pradesh and Chhattisgarh. It recorded an average grain yield of 8,068 kg/ha, outperforming 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 \ISpring \Imaize hybrid, was identified for the North-Western Plains Zone (NWPZ), which included Punjab, Haryana, Delhi, Uttarakhand (Plains), and Western Uttar Pradesh. It yielded an average of 10,441 kg/ha, showing 6.4% and 17.1% superiority over the checks BIO 9544 and DHM 117, respectively.

Dr Satbir Singh Gosal, Vice-Chancellor of PAU, expressed immense pride at this feat, stating, “The simultaneous identification of three PAU maize hybrids in a single meet is a prestigious honour for the University and a testament to the strength of our maize research programme.”

Maize hybrids are increasingly seen as a crucial element in ensuring future food security and agricultural sustainability. They offer significant advantages in terms of yield, adaptability, and resilience to environmental challenges.

Punjab