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Post Harvesting

Post Harvesting

After removing the cobs from the standing plant the cobs are piled up for 24 hours and they are spread for drying in sun. In this method the stalk may be used as a green fodder. While in a stalk cutting the plant are cut and piled up in shade and the cobs are removed after 2 or 3 days of harvesting. The dried plants are used for hay making. The cobs thus removed are dried as in previous method.

The grains are separated from the cobs manually or mechanically by using hand thresher or power thresher. In Sikkim mechanical threshing is not in practice. The common practice is hand shelling but efficiency remain very poor. The cobs after grain are separated out are used as fuel.

Maize grown for fodder is harvested at the milk to early dough stage. The earlier harvested crop usually yields less and is poor in protein content. For silage making late dough stage is preferred.

Storage: The maize seed can be stored safely by drying them to 7 % moisture content and packing in 700 gauge polythene bags which maintain above 80 % germination up to 3 years at room temperature. The prevalent practice of hanging maize cobs on ceiling of the house or godown is a good storage practice.