Bhuvaneswari

INTRODUCTION

Maize (Zea mays L.) is one of the most important cereal crops in the global agricultural economy both as food for human beings and as a feed for animals a crop of immense potentiality and is therefore called the ’Queen of Cereals’. Maize is the third most important cereal crop in the world agricultural economy after wheat and rice with an area of 137.97 million hectares and with a production of 609.18 million tonnes with average productivity of 442 kg ha-1. In India, it occupies 7.42 million hectares with production and productivity of 14.72 million tonnes and 1983 kg ha-1, respectively (Singh et al., 2007). Maize is grown in Tamil Nadu in about 2.0 lakh ha with a total production of 2.41 lakh tonnes and productivity of 1189 kg ha-1 (Season and Crop Report, 2005-06).