Ludhiana,
An Interface meeting was held on ‘Maize-based Diversification of Cropping System in Punjab’ on January 27, 2017 at Central Institute of Postharvest Engineering & Technology, Ludhiana. The meeting was chaired by Dr. Baldev Singh Dhillon, Vice Chancellor, PAU, Ludhiana. In his inaugural address, he pointed out that maize is the most suitable candidate crop which can replace rice in selected pockets and efforts should be made to sort out the constraints associated with its proliferation. He highlighted the need to focus on developing water logging tolerance genotypes under changing scenario of rainfall pattern. He further urged that fodder maize research and speciality corns should receive due priorities looking into the future demand and enhancing the income of farmers.

While welcoming the delegates, Dr. Sujay Rakshit, Director, IIMR pointed out the need to diversify the rice-wheat cropping system, which has become most common cropping system in Punjab, due to more water requirement of rice crop, there is need to diversify the existing cropping system. He highlighted the significance of maize in this region which can play an important role.

Dr. N.S. Bains, Director, Research, PAU expressed hope that with adoption of new technologies like doubled haploids, improvements in maize could be brought about in accelerated manner.

Dr. Rajbir Singh, Director, ATARI applauded the initiative towards diversification of cropping system in Punjab, keeping maize in the forefront. He expressed his hope that in collaboration with ICAR institutes, PAU and Line Department, the target of maize-based diversification of cropping system can be achieved in coming time. He narrated some success stories of farmers who are earning handsome income by cultivating baby corn and other speciality corns

Dr. R.K. Gupta, Director, CIPHET highlighted the importance of agro-processing of maize and asserted that post-harvest management will be an important paradigm to enhance farmers’ income.

Dr. Baldev Singh, Chief Agricultural officer, Ludhiana highlighted the need to make the cropping system profitable. He reminded the importance of maize as cattle feed leading to nutritional security.

There were 10 presentations in the technological advances by maize experts, which were highly appreciated by the participants. The participants lauded the efforts made by the three ICAR institutes viz., IIMR, ATARI and CIPHET to bring synergy in the efforts being made by ICAR to double the farmers’ income. The meeting was attended by more than 80 State Government officials and scientists of Krishi Vigyan Kendra (KVKs) of Punjab.