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QUALITY PROTEIN MAIZE (QPM): MAINTENANCE AND SEED PRODUCTION TECHNIQUES

Jiban Shrestha Scientist (Plant Breeding) Nepal Agriculture Research Council
National Maize Research Program (NMRP), Rampur, Chitwan

A) Background Information
Introduction of QPM QPM is an improved maize developed through conventional breeding methods whose biological value of protein is just double than that of normal maize protein. It is nutritionally superior over the normal maize. This type of maize contains high amount of two essential amino acids viz., lysine and tryptophan and low content of non desirable amino acid (leucine). History of QPM Lynn Bates (a Ph.D. student working with professor Edwin Mertz at Purdue University of USA in 1963) discovered high lysine and tryptophan mutant of maize namely Opaque-2. Opaque-2 maize kernels were chalky and had 15-20 % less grain wt, diseases and insects susceptible. Dr. S. K. Vasal (a breeder) and Dr. E. Villegeas (a Cereal chemist) at CIMMYT overcame above defects of Opaque-2 and developed QPM in 1990s. For their achievement, they won the 2000 World Food Prize Importance of QPM 1. QPM is useful in fulfilling the protein requirements of different sections of society (infants, lactating mothers convalescing patients, Kwashiorkor diseased, old persons and infirm, etc.) to prevent malnutrition. Children fed QPM porridge gain body weight 12% and height 9% higher than normal maize porridge & save them from infectious diseases (diarrhoea). 2. Quality Protein Maize (QPM) contains high carbohydrates, fats, better quality proteins, some of vitamins and minerals, so it is nutritious feed for poultry, livestock, swine, fish, etc. Use of QPM as poultry feed leads to early development of broilers, save energy and feed, and also the extra cost incurred on lysine and tryptophan fortification. 3. Digestibility of QPM is similar to that of normal maize and food processing does not affect QPM quality. 4. QPM is not GMO (genetically modified organism), so, its production and consumption is not detrimental to consumers & environment.

Figure 1. Lysine & Tryptophan (Essential Amino acid) (g/100 g protein) in common maize vs QPM maize Introduction of Seed Seed is a link between plant generations. It is a carrier of gene. Seed is a source of all food with plant origin. Seed is a technology most transportable, storable, and functional unit. Quality seeds central to agricultural production and productivity. The quality seed contains following requirements; Varietal purity Moisture content Grading Seed health
Quality Seed

Thousand Seed weight

Seed viability, Germination Capacity and Seed vigour Physical purity

Figure 2. Composition of quality seed Challenges of QPM seed production 1) Soil of maize growing areas in Nepal are being depleted in nitrogen content. QPM grown under low soil nitrogen conditions lower s protein quantity (but the quality of protein -lysine and tryptophan levels is unaffected). 2) Rate of insect infestation is greater than that of normal maize. 3) The amount of QPM seed produced and available to farmers is quite insignificant.

4) Farmers are not aware of the nutritional value of the QPM maize. 5) Farmers could not receive premium prices for QPM grain in a non specialized market.

B) General principles for maintenance and seed production of protein maize (QPM)

quality

The maintenance of QPM is done by 3 ways; a) Isolation standards for seed production b) Standards for maintaining varietal uniformity c) managed through 3 stages of seed multiplication a)Breeder's seed b) Foundation seed Improved seed a) Isolation standards for seed production Isolations can be arranged by distance or by dates of sowing. A 300-meter separation from other maize fields flowering about the same time is considered adequate for breeder's seed and 200-meters for foundation seed, but the greater the distance, the better the chances of non contamination of seeds. b) Standards for maintaining varietal uniformity Maize seed should meet the following standards; Minimum field standard Minimum crop standard Minimum seed standard Minimum field standard Land requirement: The land should be free from volunteer plants. The crop rotation can be done to minimize volunteer maize plants and reduce the need for roguing. Maintaining isolation distance or time Isolating a seed production field as mentioned above. For the time isolation, seed crop should be planted 20 25 days earlier or later than neighboring maize fields So that silking period should not coincide with corn in nearby fields. Minimum number of field inspections First inspection- Before flowering Verification of seed source, isolation distance and suggestion for roguing. Second inspection- After complete flowering Counting, field certification/rejection Third inspection- Cob inspection at threshing floor. Minimum crop standard Less than 10-15 & 5% off-type plants can be allowed in foundation and improved seed respectively. In the seed production field, there should not be any designated diseases and weed plants.

Minimum seed standard The seed should meet the standards as mentioned in below table; S. N. Quality standards 1 2 3 4 5 6 Pure seed %(min.) Inert matter % (max.) Other crop seed (max.) Objectionable weed seed (max.) Germination % (min.) Moisture % (max.)

FS 98 2 5/kg Nil 85 12

IS 98 2 10/kg Nil 85 12

Seed should be obtained from reliable source and seed replacement should be done every year to ensure good quality seed production c) managed through 3 stages of seed multiplication i)Breeder's seed ii) Foundation seed iii)Improved seed i) Breeder's seed To maintain the highest level of purity, the breeder's seed plot should be small and manageable. ii) Foundation seed Up to 10-15% of the off-type plants can be rogued before flowering. Roguing for ear and seed traits is done at or after the harvest. iii) Improved seed Up to 5% of the off-type plants rouged before flowering. Roguing for the ear and seed traits at or after the harvest.

C) Seed Maintenance and Production of Quality Protein Maize (Poshilo Makai-1)

Introduction of Nepali QPM:- Poshilo Makai-1 Poshilo Makai-1 Released in 2008 (2065 B.S.) Recommended domain: mid hills of Nepal below 1600 masl Parentage: S99TLWQ-HG-AB Origin: CIMMYT (Mexico) Average plant height: 210 cm Average Ear height: 111 cm Average 50% male flowering: 61 days Average 50% female flowering: 65 days

Average Maturity days: 140-150 days Average Yield potential: 5-6 ton/ha General management of seed production field: Field preparation at least two weeks prior to planting. If possible, plant your maize seed crop early. Use 10 - 15 % less plant population than maize grain production plot. Planting in straight rows will help facilitate various seed production operations. Remove weeds in time. Cultivation practices Planting time For eastern mid hill, 2nd week of Falgun to1st week of Chaitra and for mid and far western mid hill, Chaitra 15 to Jestha 15 is appropriate planting time. Soil type The soil should be loam soil with PH 5.5-7.5. Land preparation Two or three deep plowing should be done. The clods should be broken and soil pulverized Manures and fertilizers The chemical fertilizer 120:60:40 kg NPK/ha, 10 tones FYM/ha before one month of land preparation. Full dose of phosphorous and potash and half dose of nitrogen should be used as basal at the time of final land preparation. The remaining 25% nitrogen at knee height stage and 25% nitrogen at tasseling time should be applied. Spacing Row to row spacing 75 cm and plant to plant spacing 25 cm should be maintained Seed rate Seed 16-20 kg/ha or 55-60 thousand plants/ha is required. Water management Irrigation should be given as and when required by the crop depending upon the rains and moisture holding capacity of the soil. Light and frequent irrigations are desirable Young seedlings, knee high stage, flowering and grain filling and 10 days after grain filling are the most sensitive stages for water stress for inbreds and irrigation should ensured at these stages. Water should not overflow on the ridges. The irrigation should be applied in furrows upto 2/3rd height of the ridges. There should be adequate water for growth period upto 40-50 DAS and silking and grain filling period Weed management Weeds are the serious problem in maize seed production plot, particularly in wet (monsoon) season that competes with maize for nutrient and causes yield loss up to 35 %. Atrazine being a selective and broad-spectrum herbicide in maize checks the emergence of both broad leaves and most of the grasses. Pre-emergence application of atrazine @ of 1.0-1.5 kg a.i /ha in 600 litre water is effective for controlling weeds. While spraying, the person who is doing spray should move backward so that the atrazine film on the soil surface may not be disturbed. Preferably, three nozzle booms may be used for proper ground coverage and saving time. Two hand weeding (hoeing) are recommended for aeration and uprooting of the remaining weeds at 20 and 40 days after sowing.

Insect Pest Management Stem borer is a serious problem in maize. It can be controlled by 1-2 spray of Carboryl or Endosulfan after 10 days and 20 days of germination. Application should be done in the central whorl of plant. 1st spray: For one hectare of land, 500 gm Carboryl or 625 ml Endosulfan (35EC) in 500 liter water. 2nd spray: For one hectare of land, 750 gm Carboryl or 900 ml Endosulfan (35EC) in 700-800 liter water, if required. Eliminating undesirable plants (Roguing) At early stage i.e. after 12-15 days of sowing, off-type plants and excess plants should be removed and proper. Off types (very tall, very dwarf, or flower much earlier or later) disease and insect infested removed (Rogued out) before pollen shedding starts. If off-type maize plants are detasseled, seeds from such plants should not be used. Harvesting of seed The cobs for seed purpose are selected from middle part of fields, away from possible contamination Ears should be harvested only after black layer is formed on grains attached to cob Drying and sorting of seed parent cobs The drying of the cobs should not be done either on the kuccha or pucca flour, rather it should be dried on tarpoline sheets to avoid seed injury and during night the cobs should be kept covered. To maintain the purity, dissimilar, diseased and pest infested cobs should be removed before shelling. The cobs should be dried upto 13-14% moisture content before shelling

Seed processing:
All under size, broken, damaged etc seeds should be removed for maintaining the quality of seed.

Storage and marketing

Seed drying should be done till the moisture content of the seed is reduced to 8% and it should be kept in aerated jute bags. Seed should be stored at cool and dry place preferably in cold storage. Poor storage conditions will lead to loss of vigour and poor germination. Use super bag developed by IRRI, Philippines for minimizing insect pest attack. Fumigation with 1 celphos tablet per ton of maize, 10 gm Bojho powder per kg of maize kills insects in storage. Marketing should be done with specifications and standards. CONCLUSION QPM is superior to normal maize in its amino acids balance and nutrient composition Seed should be obtained from reliable sources and replacement should be done every year to ensure quality seed production Quality seed must meet the minimum field, crops and seed standards Maintenance of proper isolation distance and rouging of off-type plants are important field operation for seed production The proper agronomic practices during different stages of seed multiplication produce greater quantities of high quality seed.