SEC | S20W2: How to cultivate a paddy

Greetings friends, and members of this community

Every farmer wants to see his crop grow and yield and to achieve that; proper measures must be taken. Though you are sure of good seed, be also sure of good soil because this is where the seed is housed till harvest.

Maize can be planted anywhere, but the soil type matters in places like Bangladesh, which is almost completely riverine. Maize cultivation may seem very difficult because maize doesn't thrive well in a paddy. After all, it may cause a deficiency of nutrients and increase the risk of diseases should a balanced climate be needed for this cultivation, in this case.

^{A picture of maize plant in my garden}

I will be giving a few steps on how I cultivated maize in my petite farmland close to my apartment.

• Land preparation: If we have land that was followed, we are sure of getting more nutrients, so clear the land; if it has small weeds, remove them; no other crop residue should be found. In this case, bush burning may be adapted. In some cases, where the maize farm is cultivated between the end of the dry season and the emergence of the rainy season, the bush can be cleared on time so that the sun will kill the weeds or grasses that were cleared.

• Tilling or ploughing: For bigger farmland, ploughing may be adapted, but for a smaller garden like mine, I did some tilling to aerate the soil.

• Levelling: Ensure soil level is the same, especially for small gardens, so that erosion will not lead to seed damage.

• Fertiliser application: It is necessary because not all soil comes with the same nutrient level; it could be hard testing the soil to know if it has enough nutrients, so it is better to apply a small portion of fertiliser, especially on farmlands that have not been followed. I would recommend any type of NPK fertiliser.

Remember, we aim to see growth, and for that to happen, we need to be very timely in cultivation.

In my country, Nigeria, as I said earlier, the maize plant is cultivated in between two seasons, during the end of the dry season, around March to May. For the southern region, April-May is the perfect time to plant maize. At this time, all the processes for cultivation are done, and the maize seed is planted in the soil in preparation for the early rain that will come within that period. The rain may not fall for weeks after the first shower, so that will be enough for the maize plant's growth. At this time, the weed may not spring up soon. When enough water is not found in the soil, the maize plant will use this opportunity to grow above weeds.

In Nigeria, we don't do greenhouse farming, so irrigation may not be that necessary for maize plants except in a nursery where you water the plant 0-7 and 14-21 days after sowing; for irrigation systems, we plant on time in the right seasons so that they are watered naturally.

Before planting, fertiliser like NPK is applied to the soil.

After 7–14 days, a reduced quantity is applied.

The higher the age of the plant, the lesser the quantity of fertiliser applied, so if 100 kg was applied in 7-14 days in 21-28 days, 50 kg would be applied. Now it is very important to note that excessive nutrient accumulation is not good, and at day 60-70, seize the application of nitrogen-rich fertiliser; 75-90, put to an end the application of phosphorous-rich fertiliser; and at 90 days, stop the application of potassium-rich fertiliser. It is important to note that most maize plants become mature in 90 days and some late varieties in 120 days; in that case, the application of potassium and phosphorus fertiliser may likely seize soon for a better seed quality.

The most common pest I have seen that disturbs and affects maize both in seed growth and production is a worm, and there are different types of it, which affect cutworms and corn rootworms. Another that decolours the maize seed is aphids, and one that destroys the stem is stem borers.

Common diseases are maize rust, corn smug, leaf blight, etc.; the control methods are enormous chemically. The use of insecticide, fungicide, and herbicide is recommended; some of these diseases could be stopped even before now by crop rotation, plant spacing, and irrigation management since pests thrive well in a wet environment.

^{How the maize plant looks after harvest, it become brown}

The method of harvesting and preserving is necessary so that the seed can be alive and used for the next planting season.

Dry maize to reduce moisture content, which will prevent the growth of mould and worms in it. The sun could be used or dried over a smoking fire.

The maize that is contaminated can be completely dried, and you can know this by checking the husks that meet at the cop region; you will find it wet and contaminated, then take it out for consumption or thorough drying.

I would love to invite @roselove @jes88 and @vivigibelis to join in this contest