Success Stories

Popularization of hybrid Pusa HQPM 5 Improved in Hazaribag district of Jharkhand

Maize is the second most important crop in Hazaribagh district of Jharkhand next to rice yet the productivity of maize in the area is very low in comparison to national productivity. A substantial amount of dietary requirement for energy in this area is being fulfilled by maize. Adoption of bio-fortified maize with increased lysine, tryptophan and provit. A would contribute in attaining nutritional security in a more holistic approach. The hybrid Pusa HQPM 5 Improved developed by ICAR-IARI, New Delhi have been demonstrated on farmers’ field during kharif 2022 in Hazaribagh district of Jharkhand and the performance of hybrids were found to be excellent in every locations and average grain yield of 56-59 q/ha was recorded (As per crop cutting from the area of 2 mtr x 2 mtr in five replications). There is huge demand of green cob among the people in Jharkhand and the green cob weight of 252-261 q/ha was recorded in comparison to 176-188 q/ha of the other locally available varieties grown by the farmers. Owing to the cob size, yield potentiality and quality of kernels in respect of quality protein, the farmers are keen interested to adopt these hybrids for their maize cultivation. As a matter of fact, these hybrids have gained immense popularity among the cultivators that resulted in high demand of seed very rapidly. It is expected that, other farmers will also go for the cultivation of this QPM hybrid in next season.

Type of Maize Varieties/Hybrid	Grain Yield (Kg/ha)	Green Cob Yield (Kg/ha)
Traditional	1,800 – 2,000	11,200 – 13,000
Hybrid (Local Market)	4,500 – 5,200	22,500 – 23,500
PUSA HQPM-5 (Improved Hybrid)	5,610 – 5,920	25,200 – 26,100

Adoption of hybrid DHM 121 in Hazaribag district of Jharkhand

Maize is a staple food crop in the countryside areas and is the major crop of uplands of Jharkhand during Kharif. However, the traditional varieties of maize grown in the area have low yield potential and are susceptible to diseases and pests. To address these issues, the ICAR-IARI, Jharkhand conducted the demonstrations of the Maize hybrid DHM 121 on the farmers’ field, which has shown promising results in terms of grain yield as well as green cob yield. The maize hybrid DHM 121 was distributed among the tribal farmers under tribal sub plan project. Training was also imparted to them on the scientific package of practices of maize cultivation for higher productivity and profitability. The farmers were initially skeptical about the new hybrid variety, but with the help of ICAR-IARI, Jharkhand, they were able to understand the benefits of the new variety. The following table summarizes the yield of traditional varieties and improved hybrid in terms of grain yield and green cob yield:

Type of Maize Varieties/Hybrid	Grain Yield (Kg/ha)	Green Cob Yield (Kg/ha)
Traditional	1,800 – 2,000	11,200 – 13,000
Hybrid (Local Market)	4,500 – 5,200	22,500 – 23,500
PUSA HQPM-5 (Improved Hybrid)	5,610 – 5,920	25,200 – 26,100
DHM 121	6,200 – 6,800	26,300 – 27,600

As we can see from the table, the Maize hybrid DHM 121 has a much higher yield potential than the traditional varieties. The grain yield is almost double, while the green cob yield is more than double. This has led to an increase in income for the tribal farmers who have adopted the new variety. The improved yield of the new variety has also led to better food security in the region, as farmers are able to produce more maize for their families and sell the surplus in the market. In conclusion, the adoption of Maize hybrid DHM 121 by tribal farmers in Jharkhand has been a success story, leading to an increase in yield, income, and food security in the region. After conducting demonstration, farmers were convinced to adopt the DHM 121 hybrid maize variety due to its high yield potential, good resistance to pests and diseases, and suitability for local weather conditions. Overall, the success of the DHM 121 hybrid maize variety in tribal areas demonstrates the importance of introducing improved varieties that are suitable for local conditions, and the value of extension services to help farmers adopt new technologies and practices.

Production of Vermicompost

After getting training on “Techniques of Vermicomposting of Cow Dung Manure” organised at IARI Jharkhand during 06-08 January, 2022, the Dairy Unit of Animal Department, Gauria Karma is successfully converting about 25% of generated cow dung manure into the vermicompost under the guidance of IARI Jharkhand. They are producing about 25 quintals of vermicompost in 6 months.