Bathinda, Jan. 26 -- After the first successful agricultural breakthrough in growing hybrid maize for seed production in Punjab, the Indian Institute of Maize Research (IIMR) is set to conduct trials for cultivating the commercial crop for its first seed production during the spring season in February.

Experts at the Ludhiana-based IIMR, an organ of the Indian Council of Agricultural Research (ICAR), said field experiments conducted since 2023 confirmed that the soil and climatic conditions in Punjab were conducive to growing hybrid maize for seed production. A farmer needs new seeds in each sowing season for growing hybrid crops.

IIMR director Hanuman Sahay Jat said that currently, 95% of hybrid maize seeds are produced in the peninsul...