At maturity the sheath covering the cob turns yellow and dry, and the seeds become fairly hard and dry; the crop is then ready for harvest. Remove the cobs, harvesting in a single stage for easy transport. Dry the cobs in the sun until the grains are dry, separate the grain with a mechanical thresher (or by running a tractor over the dried cobs), clean by winnowing, and store the dry grain in gunny bags.
Pending expert review
Source
Crop Production Guide – Agriculture 2020 (Directorate of Agriculture, Tamil Nadu & Tamil Nadu Agricultural University (TNAU)), Maize – Harvesting and threshing, p. 111
Region
Tamil Nadu
Last updated
2026-11-04
Maize straw as cattle feed
Maize straw is a good cattle feed when it is green. After harvest, cut the green straw into bits with a chaff cutter or chopping knife and feed the cattle.
Pending expert review
Source
Crop Production Guide – Agriculture 2020 (Directorate of Agriculture, Tamil Nadu & Tamil Nadu Agricultural University (TNAU)), Maize – Stacking the straw for feeding cattle, p. 111
