Background: A recent occurrence of fall armyworm (FAW), Spodoptera frugiperda (JE Smith) a new invasive pest in Africa attained epidemic form in 2016.&nbsp; Consequently, researchers probed various ecofriendly methods to manage the pest. The effect of intercropping cowpea [Vigna unguiculata (L.) Walp.] with fodder maize (Zea mays L.) on the incidence of FAW was investigated.&nbsp; 
 
Methods: The maize fodder was protected against FAW by intercropping with cowpea along with a biorational product, Brahamastra and compared with the recommended&nbsp; insecticide used to manage the insect by conducting field experiments during kharif 2020, 2021 and 2022 comprising the eight treatments viz. T1: Maize + Cowpea 1:1 ratio (unsprayed); T2: Maize + Cowpea 1:1 ratio (coragen @ 100 ml ha-1); T3: Maize + Cowpea 1:1 ratio (brahamastra @ 12.5 litre ha-1 sprayed); T4: Maize sole (brahamastra @ 7.5 litre ha-1 sprayed); T5: Maize sole (brahamastra @ 10.0 litre ha-1 sprayed); T6: Maize sole (Brahamastra @ 12.5 litre ha-1 sprayed); T7: Maize sole (coragen 18.5 SC @ 100 ml ha-1 sprayed as standard check) and T8: Maize sole (Unsprayed). The plot size for each treatment was 500 m2, demarcating 5 x 4 m2 for sampling with three replications in a completely randomized design (CRBD). 
 
Result: The treatments, Maize + Cowpea (1:1 row) (Coragen @ 100 ml ha-1 sprayed) and Maize sole (Coragen @ 100 ml ha-1 sprayed) though had significantly the&nbsp; lowest pooled pest incidence and the highest per cent reduction over control (PROC), the bio-rational applied on maize + Cowpea (1:1 row) (brahamastra @ 12.5 litre ha-1 sprayed) encounted the&nbsp; lowest pest incidence, the highest PROC combined with the highest fodder yield and economic returns without any statistical singnificant difference with&nbsp; Maize + Cowpea (1:1 row) (unsprayed).

Impact of Cowpea-maize Intercropping and Bio-rational Product on Fall Armyworm, Spodoptera frugiperda (JE Smith) in Fodder Maize

<div>Background: Fodder cultivation has direct bearings on the production of milk&nbsp; by the dairy animals as it forms a major part of rearing cost incurred for milch animals. Several studies have pointed out the benefits of fodder cultivation, but the area under fodder cultivation is quite low; and its limited supply is hindering the milk productivity. Hence, the present study was undertaken to estimate the economics of fodder cultivation of kharif and rabi season in Punjab and Haryana as these two states have highest per capita milk availability in India. 
 
Methods: Primary data on fodder cultivation was recorded for the year 2019-20. A sample of 100 respondents were interviewed from Punjab (Patiala, Bhatinda, Amritsar and Ludhiana districts) and 100 were selected from Haryana (Hisar, Karnal, Kaithal and Panipat districts). Simple arithmetic mean and percentages were used in the study. 
 
Result: The output-input ratio for kharif and rabi fodder in Punjab and Haryana were found to be of 1.52 to 1.64 and 3.61 to 4.12. Since, majority of the farmers in these states follow crop and dairy farming system, due consideration should be provided to fodder cultivation as well.</div>

Economics of Fodder Cultivation in Punjab and Haryana

<div>Background: Bio-recycling of crop residues is contemplated as an environment friendly soil enrichment and conservation practice that sustains agricultural productivity in the long run. Legume residues are privileged by the unique nitrogen fixing capacity and rhizospheric properties that enhance soil fertility, thereby reducing the need for chemical nutrient inputs. The present study was conducted to evaluate the residual effect of red gram on fodder maize cultivated as succeeding crop in the southern laterites of Thiruvananthapuram district, Kerala, India. 
 
Methods: The field experiment to assess the effect of red gram residue incorporation on the growth and yield of fodder maize was carried out in the Instructional Farm, College of Agriculture, Vellayani, Kerala during June - August 2019. Fodder maize (African tall) was sown in the plots after incorporation of crop residues of red gram varieties (APK 1 and Vamban (Rg) 3) grown under different planting geometry (40 cm x 20 cm and 60 cm x 30 cm) and NPK doses (40:80:40, 30:60:30 and 20:40:20 kg NPK ha-1) and compared with the package of practices recommendation and in randomized block design (RBD) replicated thrice.&nbsp; 
 
Result: Significantly higher quantities of red gram residues were realised and incorporated in the treatments involving a planting geometry of 40 cm x 20 cm and an NPK dose of 40:80:40 kg NPK ha-1 in both varieties used, Vamban (Rg) 3 and APK 1 (T7 and T1).&nbsp; Nutrient contents in the residues and decomposition in T1 and T7 resulted in the maximum additions in soil, available N, P and K status and dehydrogenase activity. Evaluation of the residual effects of the legume on fodder maize revealed the significantly highest growth and yields in maize raised with chemical fertilizers as per package recommendation and, among the residue incorporated treatments, maximum plant height and fodder yields were recorded in the treatment in which residues of Vamban (Rg) 3 raised at 40 cm x 20 cm spacing and fertilised with 40:80:40 kg NPK ha-1&nbsp; were incorporated, on par with variety APK 1 raised under same management practice. The green fodder yield with residue incorporation was 80-90 per cent that under chemical fertilizer managed treatment. Among the quality parameters, crude protein (9.30%) was the highest with chemical fertilizer application while carbohydrate content (66.23%) was the lowest.</div>

Residual Effects of Red Gram [Cajanus cajan (L.) Millsp.] on Growth, Yield and Quality of Fodder Maize (Zea mays L.)

<div>Background: Cropping system approach has gained importance in agriculture and relative enterprises. In agriculture, management practices are usually formulated for individual crops. However, farmers are cultivating different crops in different seasons based on their adaptability to a particular season, domestic needs and profitability, therefore production technologies should be developed keeping in view&nbsp; of crops grown in a sequence in a year or more than one year depending on the crop duration. The current study aims in application of biofertilizers and inorganic fertilizers which are essential to raise the crop yield. Rhizobium has an enormous potential to fix atmospheric nitrogen. PSB solubilize the unavailable bound phosphates of the soil and make them available to plants which increase overall plant growth resulting in 10 to 15% increase in yield. 
 
Methods: A field experiment was conducted during rabi and summer seasons of 2017-18 and 2018-19 at College Farm, Navsari Agricultural University, Navsari. The treatment consisted of five treatment of integrated nutrient management to chickpea in rabi season as main plot treatments replicated four times in randomized block design. During summer season each main plot treatment was split into four sub plot treatments with different levels of RDF to fodder maize resulting in twenty treatment combinations replicated four times in split plot design.&nbsp; 
 
Result: Application of 100% RDF+Rhizobium+PSB (T3) to chickpea recorded significantly higher almost all the growth attributes, yield attributes and yield, nutrient uptake, protein content and yield as well as available nutrient status in soil being remained at par with 100% RDF (T1) and 75% RDF+Rhizobium+PSB (T4). while economics was remarkably improved due to inorganic fertilizers as well as combination of inorganic fertilizers with Rhizobium+PSB to chickpea and 100% RDF (S1) to summer fodder maize significantly highest all growth and yield attributes, available nutrient status of soil and economics.</div>

Productivity, Profitability and Nutrient Status of Soil as Influenced by Integrated Nutrient Management in Chickpea-fodder Maize Cropping Sequence

&nbsp;A field experiment was conducted at Forage Research and Management Centre, NDRI, Karnal during Kharif season of 2014 and 2015 to study the effect of zinc application on productivity and quality of fodder maize. The treatment consists of two fodder maize cultivars African tall and J-1006 in main plot and six zinc sulphate treatments viz. No zinc sulphate, 10 kg/ha &nbsp;ZnSO4 as basal dose, 20 kg/ha &nbsp;ZnSO4 as basal dose, 0.5% &nbsp;one foliar spray &nbsp;of ZnSO4 at 30 DAS, 0.5% &nbsp;two foliar spray of ZnSO4 at 30 and 45 DAS and 10 kg/ha &nbsp;ZnSO4 as basal dose+0.5% &nbsp;one foliar spray at 30 DAS in subplots of split plot design. Soil and foliar applied zinc sulphate had significantly improved green fodder, dry matter yield and quality parameters viz leaf length, leaf width, leaf stem ratio of both the cultivars tested. From the results of two year study, it can be concluded that maize fodder productivity and quality can be enhanced with Zinc fertilization.

Enhancing productivity and quality of fodder maize&nbsp;through soil and foliar zinc nutrition&nbsp;

<div>Background: This study was taken up to assess the effect of time of sowing and number of irrigations on the yield of maize cultivar J-1006 and to see their impact on the nutritive value of fresh and ensiled fodder. 
 
Methods: Maize cultivar J-1006 was sown at 50 cm row to row and 10 cm plant to plant spacing at 10 days interval in quintuplicate. The crop was harvested after 80-85 days of sowing. The J-1006 on the first date of sowing (B1) was given one irrigation and rest of the sowings (B2-B5) received two irrigations till harvest. The nutritive value (NV) of fresh and ensiled maize fodder was assessed by in vitro gas production (IVGP) technique. 
 
Result: Highest biological, DM and protein yield was recorded in B2 maize fodder while the lowest was recorded in B5. The cell wall constituents were the highest (P&lt;0.01) in B1 and the lowest in B5 fodder resulting in highest (P&lt;0.01) microbial biomass production (MBP) and the NV in B5 maize fodder. Irrespective of time of sowing, OM, NDF and hemicellulose contents were reduced (P&lt;0.01) in ensiled maize fodder. The net gas production (NGP; P&lt;0.01) and ME (P&lt;0.05) were depressed and the total and individual VFAs and MBP were improved (P&lt;0.01) in the ensiled maize. Irrespective of processing, the maize given two irrigations resulted in higher (P&lt;0.01) MBP and NV as comparison to that given single irrigation. It was concluded that B5 maize fodder with the lowest yield given two irrigations had the best nutritive value.&nbsp;</div>

​Effect of Sowing Time on Production Potential of Maize Fodder and its Nutritive Value Before and After Ensiling

The present study was emphasized to study cost and return of cultivation, the trend in area yield potential and resource use efficiency of hybrid maize of different categories of farm holdings in Sarguja district of Chhattisgarh. A sample of eighty farmers was surveyed (fourty five marginal, twenty five small and ten large) by three stage stratified random sampling method. The result indicated that cost of labour constituted largest component in total variable cost accounted about( 46.89%) followed by manure and fertilizer cost &nbsp;(37.00 %), followed by seed cost (11.60%). Of all the components of fixed cost, &nbsp;rental value of owned land and depreciation cost constituted maximum share about (81.90%) and (16.50%) respectively. The total cost increased with the increase in size of holdings. The total costs of production of maize per hectare was highest for large farmer of Rs. 32079.54/ha followed by small farmer of Rs. 28794.74/ha followed by small farmers of Rs. 27334/ha. There is excess use of labour by marginal farms. The excess labour may be diverted for cultivation of other crops. Large farmers &nbsp;received higher income due to optimal application of fertilizer. Improvement of farm level efficiency relies on technical knowledge of crop as well as income diversification, institutional capacity building that can enhance assets ownership, extension and credit facility.&nbsp;

Economics of hybrid maize cultivation in Sarguja district of Chhattisgarh 
&nbsp;

Background: Maize [Zea mays (L.)] is one of the most versatile crop thriving well in a myriad of agro-climatic environments. In Haryana, it is grown over an area of 0.07 lakh ha with production of 0.20 lakh tonnes having productivity of 3026 kg ha-1 in 2020-21. Traditionally, maize is cultivated in kharif season in Haryana but in recent years, the area under spring maize is also picking up in eastern part of the State owing to assured irrigation facilities. So, the present study evaluated cost and returns structure of spring maize and resource use efficiency in its cultivation in irrigated tract of Haryana during 2020-21.&nbsp; 
 
Methods: The study was based on primary data collected through face to face approach from 80 spring maize farmers using multi-stage purposive sampling technique. Simple budgeting technique was done for determining the cost and return structure of spring maize. In order to work out the resource use efficiency, production function analysis i.e. Cobb-Douglas production function was employed.&nbsp;&nbsp; 
 
Result: The findings exposed that, based on 2020-21 market prices, the average total cost of cultivation was ₹ 83350 ha-1 and gross returns realized were ₹ 108029 ha-1 reflecting net returns of ₹ 24679 ha-1. Moreover, the value of B-C ratio (1.29) reflected the profitability of spring maize cultivation in the study area. Further, the Cobb-Douglas production function analysis revealed that value of R2 was more than 0.80 in both districts and efficiency of resource use in spring maize exhibited decreasing returns to scale in both Karnal (0.91) and Kurukshetra (0.70) districts. Over-utilization of farm resources in cultivation of spring maize was observed in the study area.

An Economic Appraisal and Resource Use Efficiency of Spring Maize Cultivation in Haryana

Maize (Zea mays L.),the most important and multipurpose crops, different environmental condition is suitable for maize crop growing ,and has miscellaneous uses as animal feed and human food. Maize not only provided energy but also provided protein, crude protein, crude fibre, etc. All macro and micro nutrients affect different growth stages of fodder maize crops. Different doses of different nutrients affect differently over the plant enhancement and yield into fodder maize crops. Green fodder plays an important role as a feed o animal husbandry. Nutritious fodders are directly and primarily involved in the growth and production of the dairy department. As a nutritious and non-leguminous feed, fodder maize is the more significant green fodder. The growing time of maize is quick, with high dry matter accumulating, power and is a highly dainty fodder crop. Fodder maize holds adequate quantities of protein, minerals and annexes high digestibility as compared to legume and non-legume fodder crops. Fodder maize is use as silage for preservation due to the presence of high availability of soluble sugars in the early green stage. So, adopt proper macro and micronutrients with the proper dose which help the crop grow quickly and produce good quality fodder crops for animals.

Impact of Nutrients on the Development and Yield of Fodder Maize (Zea mays L.): A Review

<div>Background: Technology advancement has introduced hydroponics technology for green fodder production. The present investigation was undertaken to study the growth performance of Gir cattle calves fed hydroponics maize fodder (HMF) with and without supplementation of probiotic (Saccharomyces cerevisiae). 
 
Methods: A feeding trial of 120 days was conducted on 36 male Gir calves divided into nine groups. Group T1 was treated as control. In group T2, T3, T4 and T5, 25%, 50%, 75% and 100% of CP supplied through concentrate mixture was replaced by HMF, respectively. Whereas in group T6, T7, T8 and T9, 25%, 50%, 75% and 100% of CP supplied through concentrate mixture was replaced by HMF with probiotic, respectively. 
 
Result: There was highly significant (P&lt;0.01) effect of treatments i.e. feeding of HMF with and without supplementation of probiotic as well as period (age of calves) on periodical body weight and ADG. There was significantly higher mean periodical body weight (kg) and ADG (g/d) in calves fed HMF and probiotic than control. The highest overall mean body weight and ADG was observed in group T8, followed by T4 and lowest in control group. Overall mean body measurements viz. BH, BL and BG was highest in group T8 and lowest in group T1 but the variation was statistically non-significant for BG. Highly significant (P&lt;0.01) effect of treatments and period&nbsp; were observed on FCR also. Lowest FCR was recorded in group T8, followed by T4 and highest FCR was recorded in control group. It was concluded that better growth performance was evoked in Gir cattle calves fed 75% CP of concentrate mixture replaced by hydroponics maize green fodder with probiotic.</div>

​Effect of Concurrent Feeding of Hydroponics Maize Fodder and Probiotic (Saccharomyces cerevisiae) on Growth Performance in Gir Calves