The stages of technological change in maize production in commercial and small-scale semisubsistence systems are discussed and variation in the use of improved varieties/hybrids and adoption of associated inputs are noted. The impacts of the new biotechnologies and the increasing emphasis on resource-conserving technologies are also discussed with respect to prospects for technological progress in maize production in developing countries. Finally, strategic decisions that must be made by national agricultural research systems in developing countries are reviewed, especially decisions related to the relative emphasis to give to development of improved open-pollinated or hybrid maize varieties; the participation of the public and private sectors in research to achieve technological progress in maize production; and the types of farmers on which the public research system should focus its efforts.

Maize is a staple cereal after wheat and rice. It is an important source of carbohydrate, protein, iron, vitamin B and minerals for many poor people in the world. In developing countries maize is a major source of income in resource-poor farmers. As maize is used both as silage and as crop residue and the grains of maize are usually used for food, starch and oil extraction industrially, the demand for maize is rising day by day. Therefore, it is imperative for improvement of maize to meet the increasing demand. This book entitled "Maize - Production and Use" highlights the importance of maize and the improved management approaches for improving the productivity of maize in the era of changing climate.

Study carried out in six major maize growing states in India.

Since independence a quiet revolution has taken place in maize production in the Sahel with Mali increasing production more than ten-fold and yields going up ~2% a year. This research work uses farm level panel data from southern Mali's maize growing regions to demonstrate this success in agricultural production and technological change. We analyze the determinants of production to unpack increases in input use from technological change. The estimations show that farmer adoption of increased fertilizer use has driven much of the productivity growth rather than the adoption of improvements in seeds and management. Additionally, we find strong evidence of observed and unobserved heterogeneity, which affects both the choice of fertilizer amounts and the marginal returns to fertilizer use. The results demonstrate the key changes behind this silent maize revolution and point to the importance of taking into account farmer heterogeneity in estimating productivity and returns to fertilizer.