Rice fallow maize has been adopted in major area of the Srikakulam district during Rabi with conventional method of maize cultivation, sown behind the plough after 2-3 ploughings which is highly laborious and costly . The crop is subjected to terminal moisture stress and requires more number of irrigations which is a constraint in the district and resulted less yields and low price. To combat, this new concept of zero tillage maize emerged during 2012-13.The front line demonstrations were conducted in various locations of Srikakulam district of Andhra Pradesh during 2017 to 2020. Total 37 farmers from different villages for demonstration of zero tillage maize for three consecutive years were selected. The demonstrations were laid out on farmers' field as per package of practices recommended by Acharya N. G. Ranga Agricultural University. The farmers' practice was considered as control plot in demonstration. The results revealed that rise in yield of maize of 8092 Kgs/ha, 7530 Kgs/ha and 7514 Kgs/ha was recorded in the consequent years in the demonstration plots over the control by 9.35%, 5.6% and 2.03% respectively. The cost of cultivation has also reduced on Preparatory cultivation and irrigation Up to Rs.4500/ha resulting in Benefit Cost ratio of 1:2.63 when compared to the farmers practice1:2.49 on an average. The Zero tillage maize proved to be an effective technology for the improvement of farmer’s income with reduced cost of cultivation on land preparation, utilizes the residual moisture minimizing the number of irrigations and preventing the crop from terminal moisture stress in rice fallows when compared to the farmer’s practice of field preparation after rice cultivation. The impact of the FLDs on zero tillage maize evidenced in increased crop coverage area during rabi under Zero Tillage Maize was from 1500 ha during 2016-17 to 5500 ha during 2020-21(Source: Dept. of Agriculture, Srikakulam).

Keywords : Impact, FLD, Zero Tillage Maize, Rice fallows.