SOW for Maize Off.docx

Statement of Work for Maize Off-Season Nursery Production Needs, Fall 2022 – Spring 2023 Contractor will provide for all field activities including land, land preparation, planting, monitoring, weed and pest control, pollination services, irrigation, fertilization, harvest and for drying and shelling if needed, phytosanitary certificate, Ag inspections, fumigation to meet APHIS standards for import/or shipping within or to the US and preparation for shipping. Contractor will provide information on containers and weight sufficient for USDA to procure shipping services via FedEx and/or UPS. Scientists, at their discretion, will travel to monitor progress of work. Contractor will provide brief report of crop development progress in weekly or every two-intervals prior to flowering, and photos as the crop develops.

For the nursery rows, shoot bagging and pollinations will be done according to USDA breeder’s instructions. Hand-harvesting will be done by plot when grains have dried sufficiently, and the ears will be allowed to dry to approximately 13%-15% moisture. Dried ears and/or seeds will be prepared for shipping according to USDA breeder’s instructions.

The USDA is responsible for providing phytosanitary certification and import permit for seed entering Mexico and for treating the seed according to requirements, and for all seed to be planted.

A dates of mid-September is provided here in acknowledgment of the fact that weather can play a role in when nurseries can be planted, but the goal is to plant as early as close to that time feasible.

The planting will consist of 910 nursery rows comprised of 280 6m rows, 550 4m rows, and 80 3m rows:

- 160 rows for cross-pollination, 6.0 m long rows planted with 26 kernels per row. Rows will be planted in a 4 female:6 male pattern, and pollen from the male rows will be used to pollinate the female rows.

- 20 rows for sib-mating, 6.0 m long rows planted with 26 kernels per row. Each tassel will be used to pollinate the ear from a different plant, and reciprocals should be avoided.

- 100 rows for self-pollination, 6.0 m long rows planted with 26 kernels per row. All possible self-pollinations will be made in these rows.

- 350 rows for cross-pollination, 4.0 m long rows planted with 18 kernels per row. Rows will be planted in a 4 female:6 male pattern, and pollen from the male rows will be used to pollinate the female rows.

- 200 rows for self-pollination, 4.0 m long rows planted with 18 kernels per row. All possible self-pollinations will be made in these rows.

- 80 rows for cross-pollination, 3.0 m long rows planted with 13 kernels per row. Rows will be planted in a 4 female:6 male pattern, and pollen from the male rows will be used to pollinate the female rows