Maize team executes research work on agronomy, pathology and breeding. These activities are carried out in collaboration with personnel from other teams.

Areas of research

(i) breeding and screening of maize varieties that are high yielding and tolerant/resistant to pests and diseases as well as low soil fertility;
(ii) undersowing, relay cropping, improved fallows, intercropping, mixed intercropping rotations and reduced tillage of maize with various legumes;
(iii) response of maize to organic and inorganic fertilizer;
(iv) weed control by hand and using herbicides;
(v) nitrogen dynamics and mineralization, and
(vi) evaluation and screening of local, regional and international nurseries;

Achievements:
The Team has released a number of varieties as follows:

Recommended maize varieties

(i) Hybrids
LH7, LH 11, SR 52, R 200, 2 201, H63J, R201, MH 12, NSCM 41, MH 14, MH 15, MH 16, MH 17, MH 18, MH 19, MH 20, MH 21, MH 22, NSCM 21, PAN 6193, PAN 6195;

(ii) Composites
UCA, CCA, CCB, CCC, CCD, Masika, Kafumba, Nchotsanjala, Kakhomera, Sundwe, Chitibu, Matindiri, Kaduwa, and Chitute

(iii) Synthetics  
SV 27, SV 28, SV 37

Recommended agronomic practices
(i) early planting, timely and effective weeding for maize,
(ii) top-dressing urea on diammonium phosphate (DAP) between 2-4 weeks after maize emergence,
(iii) planting shorter maize varieties, such as MH18, at a spacing of 90 cm x 75 cm x 3 plants per station; and tall maize varieties, such as MH17, at a spacing of 90 cm x 90 cm x 3 plants per station; 
(iv) applying area-specific fertilizer recommendations for hybrid maize, 23:21:0+4S for a basal dressing, and urea for top-dressing.

Maize disease complexes
(i) identified the following major maize diseases: Maize streak virus (Helminthosporium turcicum), Maize cob rots (Fusarium spp. and Diplodia maydis), Downy mildews (Peronosclerospora phillippinensis and Peronosclerospora sorghi) and Gray leaf spot (Cercospora zea-maydis).
(ii) established that the occurrence of the maize streak virus is closely associated with the leaf hopper (Cicadulina spp) populations which are rainfall pattern and intensity related.
(iii) established that delaying the planting of maize by 3-4 weeks results in more than 40% yield loss due to diseases.
(iv) established a positive correlation between cob rots and the amount and distribution of rainfall and duration of the rainy season, with a 10-15% loss due to this disease.