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HQPM-7 quality protein maize hybrid Photo: placeholder pending image-fill pass

HQPM-7 quality protein maize hybrid

HQPM-7 (Hisar Quality Protein Maize-7) is a single-cross quality protein maize hybrid developed at CCS Haryana Agricultural University, Hisar, and released through AICRP-Maize in 2008 primarily for late kharif and the post-monsoon (early rabi) maize window in the north-western plains. The hybrid completes the Hisar QPM series alongside HQPM-1 (Hqpm 1 Iari Quality Protein Maize) and HQPM-5 (Hqpm 5 Quality Protein Maize) by providing an option for sowings beyond the normal kharif window.

Why it matters

In Punjab, Haryana, western UP and Uttarakhand, maize sown late in kharif (after 10 July) faces shortened photoperiods, cooler night temperatures during grain-fill and rising pressure from pink stem borer (Sesamia inferens). Conventional medium-duration kharif hybrids underperform under these conditions. HQPM-7 was specifically tested in late-sown and post-monsoon trials of AICRP-Maize and demonstrated yield stability across sowing dates, while retaining the opaque-2 QPM grain quality of the Hisar series.

Key facts

  • Breeder: CCS HAU, Hisar
  • Released: 2008 by AICRP-Maize for late kharif/post-monsoon (north-western plains zone)
  • Type: single-cross hybrid, opaque-2 allele
  • Recommended zone: Haryana, Punjab, western UP, Uttarakhand plains, north Rajasthan
  • Duration: 100-105 days (kharif); 110-115 days when sown post-monsoon
  • Yield potential: 7.0-8.5 t/ha under full irrigation; on-farm 5.5-6.5 t/ha
  • Grain: yellow semi-flint, large cobs (~16 cm), 14-16 kernel rows
  • Lysine in protein: 4.0-4.2%; tryptophan: 0.9-1.0%

Agronomy

Suited to medium-to-heavy alluvial soils under assured irrigation. Seed rate 20 kg/ha at 60 × 20 cm; for late-sown crops, increase to 22-24 kg/ha to compensate for lower per-plant productivity. Fertiliser: 180:80:60 NPK kg/ha + 25 kg ZnSO4 + 15 kg sulphur, with N split in four doses. Critical irrigations at knee-high, tasseling, silking and grain-fill. Late-sown crops benefit from a foliar urea 2% spray at silking to compensate for soil-N immobilisation in cool soils.

Pests and diseases

Moderately resistant to maydis leaf blight, banded leaf and sheath blight and turcicum leaf blight. Susceptible to fall armyworm (Maize Faw Spodoptera Frugiperda National) and to pink stem borer (Sesamia inferens) — the latter is especially damaging in post-monsoon sowings, requiring chlorantraniliprole 18.5 SC @ 0.4 ml/L spray at whorl stage. Post-flowering stalk rots may appear under terminal moisture stress.

Adoption and use

HQPM-7 is the QPM option of choice for north-western farmers wanting to sow maize after the kharif paddy nursery harvest or as a catch crop before rabi wheat. Grain quality and large-cob appearance attract premium pricing for poultry feed in Barwala and western UP (Maize Poultry Feed Link India); a small share goes to the Haryana starch industry. The hybrid is also used by NGOs and FPOs in tribal blocks of Madhya Pradesh and Rajasthan as a nutrition-sensitive QPM substitute for normal maize.

See also: Hqpm 1 Iari Quality Protein Maize, Hqpm 5 Quality Protein Maize, Pusa Qpm 5 Hybrid Maize, Vivek Qpm 9 Maize, Maize Crop Overview, Maize Poultry Feed Link India, Maize Faw Spodoptera Frugiperda National.

Sources

  1. Quality Protein Maize varieties. ICAR-IIMR, Ludhiana. https://iimr.icar.gov.in/?page_id=2247
  2. AICRP-Maize annual report 2022-23. ICAR-IIMR. https://iimr.icar.gov.in/wp-content/uploads/2024/05/AR-2022-23.pdf