THIS year started off on a high note with stakeholders in the agricultural sector anticipating a fruitful season.
Improved yields are expected.
This is despite the current dry spell recently experienced in most parts of the country.
Most parts of the country received first rains late November before a dry spell ensued in December.
Hopes remained pinned on the forecast by the Meteorological Services Department (MSD) that above normal rainfall will be received during the second half of the season.
The first half of the season ends mid-January.
Upon receiving rains, most farmers planted.
Maize is at various stages of growth.
Zimbabwe needs two million metric tonnes of grain to meet its annual requirements.
Over the past seasons, the target has not been met as farmers were affected by climate change.
Agronomist Ivan Craig has urged farmers not to panic, given the dry spell experienced in most parts of the country.
“Crops in most provinces are still looking good and are only experiencing what is termed ‘temporary wilting’ whereby the maize crop looks depressed in the afternoon when temperatures are high and rejuvenate at night and in the morning,” he said.
“Farmers who planted with the first effective rains have an established crop which can withstand the heat for another week.”
For farmers whose crop did not germinate, Craig said it was, however, too late for farmers to do gap-filling.
“It is not advisable for farmers to gap-fill as the smaller crop will be overshadowed by the already established plants and they only grow tall and thin without producing the expected yield,” he said.
“If farmers find that all their plants did not establish, they can either maintain the crop that is there or clear the whole field and plant other crops such as sorghum, sugar-beans, cowpeas and sunflowers.
“Farmers should not be tempted to intercrop and those intending to plant again should opt for ultra-early to early season varieties.”
Craig said farmers must take advantage of the dry spell to clear fields of any weeds and scout for pests and diseases.
“This is the time to ensure weeds are under control so that crops and weeds do not compete for the little moisture that is available,” he said.
“Weeds also provide a breeding ground for pests and diseases which will in turn affect the crop.
“The general management of the field is essential in maximising on production.”
Last season, there was an army worm outbreak in parts of Mashonaland provinces with some maize crop in Matabeleland North attacked by the stalk borer.
Stalk borer, a pest that feeds mainly on maize and sorghum, feeds on plant stalks and upper leaves, reducing flow of water and nutrients throughout the plant.
Plants then wilt and either die or have stunted growth.
Army worm is a destructive pest that gets its name because it travels in large insect armies and destroys large hectares of crops in a short period of time.
Craig said growers must scout fields at least three times daily because the fall army worm would continue to attack the maize crop up to maturity stage if it is not properly managed.
Of late, the southern African region has witnessed an increase in army worm outbreaks, a development which experts attribute to climate change induced alterations of temperature and rainfall patterns.
Apart from clearing fields of weeds, Craig said farmers during this period, should be applying top dressing fertilisers.
“The amount of fertiliser applied and when it is applied is also important,” he said.
“If the farmer intends to apply 800kg/ha the whole season, the fertiliser should be applied first after four weeks after the date of effective rains.
“The next 200kg can be applied after six weeks and the last batch after 10 weeks.
“When applying fertilisers, farmers should avoid putting fertilisers right on the crop as plants do not draw nutrients from the stalk but at the end of the root.
“Fertilisers applied at four weeks should be applied 15cm from the stalk and that applied at six or seven weeks should be placed at 25 to 30 cm from the stalk,” said Craig.
“When applying at 10-to-11 weeks, it should be placed at 45 cm.
“The reason for moving further away from the plant is because as the plant grows, the roots grow.”