Name of centre
ICAR-Vivekananda Parvatiya Krishi Anusandhan Sansthan     
(Voluntary centre)

(Latitude/Longitude)
Latitude: 29º36′ N; Longitude: 79º40′ E; Altitude: 1250 MSL

Address
ICAR-Vivekananda Parvatiya Krishi Anusandhan Sansthan, Almora (Uttarakhand) – 263 145, India

Staff details  :
ICAR-VPKAS, Almora is a Voluntary Centre and does not have any posts sanctioned under AICRP Maize

Mandate       :

1. Genetic enhancement in maize for early and extra early maturity, disease resistance and yield
2. Development of short duration composites and hybrids of normal and specialty corn suitable to hill agriculture
3. Maintenance and augmentation of maize germplasm
4. Identification of resistant sources against important disease of maize in NW-hills and their management
5. To improve the profitability and economic returns of maize farmers by developing matching agro-technology.

Farm area under maize     :           3.0 ha

Significant achievements (in bullets with photos):

• ICAR-VPKAS Almora is a pioneer maize breeding centre that ushered in hybrid maize development programme in the country.
• The institute is credited with the development of first maize hybrid (VL Makka 54) in the country which led the way for development of hybrid maize varieties by Indian public sector institutions. This was developed even before the inception of All India Co-ordianted Project.
• The centre has released a total of 32 varieties (9 composites and 23 hybrids) in different consumer segments for different agro-ecologies of the country.
• The institute is recognized for the development of first MAS-derived QPM hybrid (Vivek QPM 9) in the country.
• The breeding material generated by the centre has strengthened extra- and early maize breeding and QPM programmes of various AICRP centres.
• Current focal research areas of the institute include development of biofortified maize hybrids using combination of molecular breeding tools and doubled haploid technology.

Maize cultivars developed at ICAR-VPKAS, Almora

Sl. No.	Type	Cultivar	Year	Release by	Characteristics
1.	Double-cross hybrid	VL Makka 54	1962	CVRC	Tall, thick, sturdy stem; yellow, semi-flint grains; maturity 110-120 days; yield 70-80 q/ha
2.	Double-cross hybrid	VL Makka 42	1962 1988	SVRC CVRC	Medium, healthy stem; bright orange flint grains; maturity 85-90 days; yield 35-40 q/ha
3.	Composite	VL Makka 1	1973	SVRC	Medium in height, light green narrow leaves, orange flintish grains; maturity 100-105 days; yield 30-35 q/ha
4.	Double-cross hybrid	Him 128	1979	CVRC	Tall; sturdy stem; white semi-flint grains; maturity 110-120 days; yield 70-80 q/ha
5.	Composite	VL Makka 16	1980	SVRC	Medium stout stem; dark green leaves; yellowish orange flint grains; maturity 95-100 days; yield 35-40 q/ha
6.	Composite	VL Amber popcorn	1981	SVRC	Small; hard, bright orange flint grain; maturity 100-105 days; tolerant to TLB; excellent popping quality; yield 20-25 q/ha
7.	Composite	VL Makka 41	1986	SVRC	Short healthy stalk; medium green leaves; yellow flint round grains; maturity 80-85 days; yield 30-35 q/ha
8.	Composite	VL Makka 88	1988	CVRC	Medium healthy stalks; medium dark green leaves; orangish yellow flint grains; maturity 85-90 days; yield 35-40 q /ha
9.	Double top cross hybrid	Him 129	1997	CVRC	Medium in height; medium dark green leaves; yellow flint medium grains; maturity 85-90 days; yield 40-45 q /ha
10.	Single-cross hybrid	Vivek Hybrid 5	1999	SVRC	Yellow; semi-flint; flat bold grains; maturity 85-90 days; yield 45-50 q /ha
11.	Single-cross hybrid	Vivek Hybrid 9	2000	CVRC	Yellow semi-flint grain;  maturity 85-90 days; tolerant to TLB and MLB; yield 50-55 q /ha
12.	Composite	Vivek Sankul Makka 11	2003	SVRC	Orange-yellow flint grains; maturity 95-100 days; tolerant to TLB; yield 40-45 q/ha
13.	Single-cross hybrid	Vivek Maize Hybrid 15	2004	CVRC	Yellow flint grain; maturity 85-90 days; yield 45-50 q/ha
14.	Composite	VL Babycorn 1	2004	CVRC	Bright  yellow medium flat grain; maturity 90-95 days; tolerant to TLB; yield 12-13 q/ha (dehusked baby corn)
15.	Single-cross hybrid	Vivek Maize Hybrid 21	2006	CVRC	Yellow semi-flint grain; maturity 85-90 days; yield 45-50 q /ha
16.	Single-cross hybrid	Vivek Maize Hybrid 23	2006	SVRC	Yellow flint grain; maturity 90-95 days; moderately tolerant to TLB; yield 45-50 q/ha
17.	Single-cross hybrid	Vivek Maize Hybrid 25	2007	CVRC	Yellow semi-dent grain; maturity  85-90 days; tolerant to TLB; yield 50-55 q/ha
18.	Single-cross hybrid	Vivek QPM 9	2007 2008	SVRC CVRC	Yellow semi-flint grain; Tryptophan 0.83%; Lysine 4.19%; Fe 37 ppm; Zn 29 ppm; maturity 85-90 days; Others: tolerant to TLB and MLB; yield 50-55 q/ha
19.	Composite	Vivek Sankul Makka 31	2008	SVRC	Yellow, semi-flint grain; maturity 85-90 days; yield 35-40 q/ha
20.	Single-cross hybrid	Vivek Maize Hybrid 33	2008	CVRC	Yellow dent grain; maturity 85-90 days; yield 55-60 q /ha
21.	Composite	Vivek Sankul Makka 35	2009	CVRC	Yellow semi-flint grain; maturity 85-90 days; yield 40-45 q /ha
22.	Single-cross hybrid	Vivek Maize Hybrid 39	2012	CVRC	Yellow semi-flint flat grain; maturity 85-90 days; tolerant to TLB; yield 55-60 q /ha
23.	Single-cross hybrid	Vivek Maize Hybrid 43	2012	CVRC	Yellow, Semi-flint flat grain; maturity 85-90days; yield 55-60 q/ha
24.	Single-cross hybrid	Vivek Maize Hybrid 45	2013	CVRC	Yellow semi-flint flat grain; maturity 85-90 days; tolerant to TLB and MLB; yield 50-55 q /ha
25.	Single-cross hybrid	Vivek Maize Hybrid 47	2014	CVRC	Yellow semi-flint; maturity 90-95 days; moderately resistant TLB; MLB; CR and resistant to BSDM and PFSR; yield 50-55 q /ha
26.	Single-cross hybrid	Vivek Maize Hybrid 51	2014	CVRC	Yellow semi dent flat grain; maturity 85-90 days; yield 50-55 q/ha
27.	Single-cross hybrid	Vivek Maize Hybrid 53	2014	CVRC	Yellow semi-flint grain; maturity 85-90 days; moderately resistant to TLB; MLB; CR; BSDM and PFSR; yield 50-60 q /ha
28.	Single-cross hybrid	CMVL Sweet Corn 1	2016	CVRC	Sturdy plant with medium height; yellow dent flat grains; green cob72-75 days; yield 100-110 q/ha (dehusked green cob); TSS 16%
29.	Single-cross hybrid	Central Maize Baby Corn 2	2017	CVRC	Conical-Cylindrical, baby corn shape; maturity 52-55 days; yield 15-17 q/ha (dehusked baby corn)
30.	Single-cross hybrid	CMVL 55	2017	CVRC	Yellow flint grain; maturity 95-100 days; moderately resistant to MLB, CR and PFSR; yield 60-65 q/ha
31.	Single-cross hybrid	VL Maize Hybrid 57	2019	CVRC	Yellow flint grain; maturity 95-100 days; Moderately resistant to TLB and MLB; yield 55-60 q/ha
32.	Single-cross hybrid	VL Sweet Corn Hybrid 2	2019	CVRC	Sturdy plant with medium height; yellow grains;green cob72-75 days; yield 95-103 q/ha (dehusked green cob); TSS 14.5-15.3%

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Development of Doubled Haploid (DH) lines
More than 500 doubled haploid lines of normal corn, sweet corn and QPM have been developed using in vivo haploid induction system