ABSTRACT
Rabi maize is grown on an area of 1.2 million ha with the grain production of 5.08million tonnes, with an average productivity of 4.00 t/ha. Cultivation of maize in winter season started in mid 60s in some pockets of Bihar and South India. The success and the level of profit from Rabi crop depend to a great extent on the choice of maize hybrid/composite to be grown. The optimum date of sowing is important for winter maize so that the genotype grown can complete its life cycle under optimum environmental conditions. Maize can be successfully grown without any primary tillage under no-till situation with less cost of cultivation, higher farm profitability and better resource use efficiency. Maize can be successfully cultivated by transplanting seedlings especially in north-west and eastern plain regions of the country. The rainfall during Rabi is rather inadequate for successful cultivation of high-yielding maize hybrids.
