Introduction

The National Maize Research Programme (NMRP), Rampur is located 10 km west of Bharatpur, the district headquarter of Chitwan, in inner terai region of Nepal. The geographical location is 27^o 40′ N latitude, 84^o 19′ E longitude at an altitude of 228m mean sea level. It has humid and subtropical climate with cool winter (2-3⁰C) and hot summer (43⁰C). The annual rainfall is over 1500 mm with a distinct monsoon period (>75% of annual rainfall) from mid-June to mid-September. The soil on station is a sandy loam and is slightly acidic to strongly acidic.

Mission

Contribute to improve farm income and livelihood of the maize growers by transforming the subsistence maize farming to commercialization through innovative maize based technologies with specific concentration in self sufficiency in maize production to fulfill national requirement .

Vision

Seek to generate high yielding maize based production technological packages that contribute to the food, feed, nutritional security, employment generation and livelihood improvement of the Nepalese people.

Major thrusts

1. Germplasm collection, exchange, evaluation and utilization.
2. Development of stress (drought, heat, cold and low nutrient) resilient high yielding hybrids and open pollinated varieties of maize.
3. Low cost resource conserving production technologies,
4. Development of quality protein maize for nutritional enhancement

Objectives

• To review the maize production constraints through periodic survey and village level workshop and prioritize those for research works.
• To collect, characterize, utilize and conserve different local and exotic maize germplasms.
• To develop high yielding, disease and insect resistant early and full season OPVs of maize suitable for different agro- environments.
• To develop high yielding and stress tolerant (disease , insect, drought, heat, cold) single cross, double cross hybrids for different region.
• To develop specialty maize cultivars such as Quality Protein Maize, baby corn, sweet corn, pop corn etc for diverse uses.

• To undertake basic, applied and adaptive on station and on farm research in maize based cropping systems in crop management, soil management, disease and paste management aspects for maize yield increment.
• To test different agriculture machineries and to generate maize based conservation agriculture technologies for improving soil health/fertility and increasing maize productivity in a sustainable manner.
• To work as national institute for research, training, education and repository of information in maize and maize based cropping system.
• T o establish and strengthen national and international linkages for exchange of research knowledge, materials and collaborative research works.
• To produce and provide source seed of maize (BS and FS) to concern clients .
• To publish research findings, recommend various innovative technologies and disseminate maize and maize based technologies to the different stakeholders through electronic media and different publication booklets, folders, leaflets and posters.