Milliomares project..

FAMERS
HAND BOOK

HOW TO GROW MAIZE

Earn Over 4.5 Millions from one Acre

UGAGRIC EXTENSION SERVICES LIMITED

INTRODUCTION
Welcome to millionaires project a hand book designed to
inform, educate and empower farmers in Uganda. We
hope to reach out to these that have a passion for maize
growing and endeavor to maximize their benefits and
outputs.
Maize has been very popular among subsistence farmers
and glowers generally done on small scale. In this hand
book we give you all golden nuggets that will illuminate
your perception and understanding of maize growing,
taking your farming potentials to whole new level and
profitably.
Farming is enterprising and lucrative a venture seldom
celebrated by the intellects but a golden mine for those
that have discovered the opportunity and fun that comes
with commercial farming.
We have presented this hand book, on HOW TO GROW
MAIZE so, for those that are not yet in the field of
farming we hope this issue will make you more motive to
grasp the many possibilities and opportunities that await
you in farming enterprise and to minimize bias people
have on growing a such common crop which brings you to
be a MILLIONARE
KAMUGISHA SAMUEL RUTETINDA
MANAGING DIRECTO UGAGRIC LIMITED

Vision statement
CHANGING
PEOPLES
TOWARDS FARMING.

NEGATIVE

ATTITUDE

BACK GROUND
Maize amounts for more than a quarter of cereals
consumed in the developing world. Maize is the most
important commodity in terms of calorie consumption
and value of production. it is significant staple diet of
billions of poor in the developing world and variations in
productivity can proudly influence their well being.
Developing countries now account for more than 30% of
total world production compared to around 20% in the
early sixties. This has due to tremendous growth in
productivity. Between 1961 and 1995 maize production in
the developing world has grown at an annual rate of
3.6%. at the same time, imports by developing countries
have

increased

rapidly

because

of

expanding

consumption due to rapid population growth, per capita

income growth and a decline in real prices.
Over the next 30years, it is expected that overall maize
demand will continue to grow at an annual rate of 10%.

Projections estimate that by 2020, 55% of world maize

consumption will occur in the developing countries. It was
introduced in Uganda in 2009.

LAND PREPARATION
Soils reduced in fertility by continuous cropping and land
chocked with

grass and other weeds will not produce

good harvests as farmer expects. Plough early, give two

ploughing to your soil if necessary to get good clean
seedbed, and make sure all couch grass and stumps are
clearly removed.
TIME OF PLANTING
As in modern farming its better and essential to plant
early, at the beginning of rains, make sure you get high
yielding by following such farming guidelines. Yields are
greatly reduced by late planting.
MAIZE VARIETIES

Its important to choose the correct variety for your soil

type, altitude (1500-2100)
and rain conditions. There are many maize varieties in
Uganda like Longe 5, Salongo qpm, Longe 6H, Longe 2H,
Longe 10H but what we are trying to tackle in this hand
book is LONG GRAIN a promising variety that provides
with you 500grams from a single seed.

VARIETY FEATURES

Drought Tolerant.
High Yielding (4.5tons/acres).
High disease tolerance.
Maturity takes only 112 days.

MATURITY
Long grain variety has quick and early maturity rate
where it matures with in 112 days. It is not like other
varieties where by in 3months you have to be harvesting.
SPACING

Most favorable planting densities for high yield in the

tropics are probably in the range of 26,000 to 30,000
plants per acre. A population of less than 26,000 plants
per acre is not advisable because a 10% loss of plants is
not un common under rain fed field conditions.
Narrow row width of about 50 to 70 cm is recommended
to ensure that sun light falls on the plants and not on
bare soil. This reduces weed competion and loss of soil
moisture from evaporation.
Plants that are planted too near each other tend to be
taller but with thin and weak stalks, making them more
susceptible to lodging and stalk diseases. To ensure
amore uniform crop stand and lesser missing hills, plant
2-3seeds per hill and thin after 14-20 days to allow only
1-2 plant per hill.
PLANTING
UGAGRIC advises you in correct fertilizer rates for your
soil. Our general recommendation, which you can follow
are 120 Kgs of Double Super Phosphate of 240 Kgs of
Single Super Phosphate at planting time, followed by
240kgs. Nitrogenous fertilizer (C.A.N or Sulphate or

Ammonia) at knee-height, per acre. Apply the nitrogen

between rows, not over the leavers.
WEEDING
Keep the maize clean weeded until it flowers, by weeding
several times. Early weeding is important. You may either
use chemical, biological, mechanical or hand weeding.
INTERCROPPING
Maize can be intercropped with leguminous crops for
nutrient and nitrogen fixation. Intercropping bush type of
beans with other crops such as maize requires god soil
fertility. In maize/bean intercrop the maize is planted
75cm x 60cm and while beans are planted at 25cm x
40cm. you can have one (1) bean row between two maize
rows.
The beans should be spaced at 15cm from one hill (hole)
to another leaving 2 plant hill. Other crops are soya bean,
peas, ground nuts and other leguminous crops.
IRRIGATION
During dry periods, irrigation are required every 4-7 days
depending on the severity of the drought and type of soil.

MAIZE PEST/DISEASES MANAGEMENT

DISEASES
Fusarium stalks

CHARACTERS
Stunted
seedlings
Pale green or
purple leaves
Poor roots
Reddish-brown
and rotting os
stalks
Discolouration

CONTROL
MEASURES
Crop rotation
Correct plant
densities
Minimization
of stress
Use resistant
hybrids to
manage this
disease

on the stalk
near the
Fusarium cob rot
or ear rot

nodes.
Whitish pink-

The practice

lavender

outlined

fungal growth

above for

on between

Fusarium

the kernels
Occurance of

stalk rot, as
well as the

kernels

managemen

starbust

t of insect

symptom

pests and

where white

proper

streaks radiate

storage of

from the point

kernels.
Use resistant

of attachment

hybrids
where
Gibberella stalks
rot

Stalks are
often reddishbrown
Red-pink
colour on
internally
tissue
Stalks are
weak and
breaks easily
Small, round,
bluish-black
fruiting bodies
may be found
around the
nodes of dead
stalks.

available.
The practice
outlined
above for
Fusarium
stalk rot,

Gibberella cob rot

Tip of cob
becomes
whitish-pink
fungal growth
Black fruiting
bodies on
exrenal husks
leaves.

Use of good
agronomic
practices
Use of
resistant
hybrids
Proper
harvesting
and storage
minimizes

Diplodia cob rot

Husks

the risk
The only known

covering the

management

combs are

options to hasten

bleached
Cobs are

residue
breakdown are

usually

crop rotation and

shrunken,

agronomic

lighter than

practices.

the normal
and covered in
a white-grey
fungal growth.
Black fruiting

bodies develop
in the husks
and cobs
towards the
end of
rgrowing
Turcica leaf
blight

season.
Long, spindleshaped,
grayish-green,
water soacked
spots develop
on leaves
Blighting of
infected
leaves after
flowering

Use less
susceptible
hybrids
Never
practice
maize
monoculture
Eliminate
volunteer
maize
Practice
early
planting
Control with
fungicides is
not
economical

PESTS:
Stem/Stalk borer

These are the

most
important
insect pests of
yield losses.
Young plants
have straight
lines across
the newest
leaves

Early
planting
Field
sanitation
crop rotation
use pushpull
technology
Plant
Desmodium
in between
maize rows.
Apply
Thiodan3.5
G or Ambush

Cut worms

They cut

0.5%
Spray Bestox

maize

10 EC when

seedling

soil are

or alittle
make

moist
You can also

small

apply

holes

FASTAC

along

initial
leaves or
remove
Maize aphids

sect
It is asoft dark

Spray with

green to

Dimethoate,

bluish-greenin

Malathion, or

colour isect, it

Karate

feeds on
young leaves
Yellow molting
Termites

of leaves.
Cause the
plant to
withers out
and some
times die.
Infestation is
particularly

Destroy
termites
nests
Remove and
kill the
queen
Apply

serious in dry

termite killer

season

like
Termindal,
IMAXI SEED
DRESSING

WITH
Marshall 35
Maize weevil

Leaves circular
holes on the
surface of the
grain

SD
Early
harvesting
Clean and
dust with
Actellic
Super or
Sumicombi
the store

Large grain borer

Loss of grain

before use.
Leave the

content and

grains to dry

are not fit to

completely
Dust Actellic

eat

Super,
Spintor Dust
Fumigants
like
Quickphos,
Detia gas Ex
WARNING
(a)

Do save seed from this hybrid long grain maize.

Long grain maize gives yield because it is special

freshly crossed seed.seed kept from hybrid maize will
produce crops which are about 20% poorer than the
crops grown with new seed.
(b)
The seed has been treated with seed dressing
against seeding diseases and pests. The seed
dressing is POISONOUS.

HARVESTING AND POST -HARVEST TECHNOLOGIES

Maize crops are harvested, shelled and cleaned manually
when grain moisture is low and after physiological
maturity is reached. seed moisture is lowered by sun
drying to a safer level before shelling the seeds. Drying
should not be done on the ground but on the tarpaulin to
avoid moisture absorption. After drying transfer the cobs
to adrying place such as cribs.
As post handling facilities are yet to develop, except the
seed that need special attention and storage conditions,
commercial grains are disposed as quickly as possible to
avoid wastage by pests and diseases. As a result affair

priced to most products. About 75% of maize are used in

the production.
STORAGE TREATMENT AGAIST WEEVILS
Dress your cobs before putting them in the store with the
recommended insecticide.

COST BENEFIT ANALYSIS FOR MAIZE PRODUCTION FROM

ONE ACRE
PARTICULARS
Land hiring
Bush clearing
First ploughing
Second ploughing
planting
Cost of Seeds (11kg x

COST
100,000=
80,000=
80,000=
60,000=
80,000=
77,000=

7000=)
Cost of fertilizers
Weeding x2
Care taker (4month x

85,000=
120,000=
320,000=

80,000=)
Cost of herbicides
Tools

50,000=

 Pangas
Hoes
Ropes
151,000=
Spray pump
Sacks
Meals (beans and posho 150,000=
)
TOATAL COST

1,353,000=

PROJECTED REVENUE
YIELDS IN

PRICE PER KG OF

KGS/ACRE
MAIZE
43OO
700=
Less Total Production Cost
NET PROFIT

AMOUNT
3,010,000=
1,353,000=

1,657,000=

NOTE
These projections are based on current prices; fluctuation
in these prices directly impact the projections.
Ugagric Asks You
1. Do you desire to start farming but you lack
knowledge and drive to do so?
2. Are you too beasy to dedicate ample time and
maximize returns?
3. Are you overcharged and face mismanagement of
your farm?

4. Do you need professional advice and management

as regards to farming?
5. Have you failed to get profits from farming despite
your in puts?
6. Do you need land for hire, purchase or free for
commercial farming?
7. Have you failed to get market for your produce
despite your production?
Ugagric is an answer.