H513 Maize Variety in Kenya: Yield, Maturity & Growing Areas

H513 maize variety in Kenya exists for one situation: a rainfall window you cannot rely on.

It will never out-yield H6213 or DK777, and it is not trying to. H513 is a Kenya Seed Company Medium Maturity variety that finishes in 110–130 days, which means it reaches harvest in seasons where a highland variety is still filling grain when the rain stops.

A 26-bag variety that finishes beats a 54-bag variety that dies at grain fill. That is the entire argument for H513, and in Machakos, Kitui and lower Meru it is usually the right one.

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Quick Answer: H513 at a Glance

Attribute	Detail
Seed company	Kenya Seed Company
Category	Medium Maturity Variety
Maturity	110–130 days
Altitude range	900–1,500 metres above sea level
Rainfall requirement	500–800mm
Yield per acre (good management)	26 bags (official Kenya Seed Company figure)
Attributes	Very sweet tasting, good standability
Approximate price (2026)	KES 2,800–3,200 per 10kg bag

H513 Maize Variety in Kenya

H513’s official Kenya Seed Company figure is 26 bags per acre (90 kg bags) under good management — about 2.3 tonnes per acre.

Within the Medium Maturity category that is the lowest of the three. H517 reaches 32 bags per acre and H516 reaches 30, in the same 900–1,500m band.

H513’s argument is not yield per acre in absolute terms. It is yield actually harvested in a season where a longer-maturing variety would have been cut short by the rains ending.

Why H513 Exists

H513 will not out-yield a long-season highland variety like DK777, H614D or H6213. That is not the trade-off it was bred for.

As a Kenya Seed Company Medium Maturity variety, it exists for medium-altitude zones between 900 and 1,500 metres, and for farmers who cannot guarantee a full long-rains season: Eastern Kenya’s short rains, ASAL-adjacent zones, and areas with a history of unreliable rainfall.

In those conditions, a 110–130 day variety that reliably finishes before moisture runs out consistently beats a longer-season variety that gets cut short mid-grain-fill.

Where H513 Performs Well

Machakos, short rains
Kitui, short rains
Meru, lower zones
Embu, lower zones
Eastern Kenya generally, for the short-rains season

H513 Compared With H516 and H517

All three are Kenya Seed Company Medium Maturity varieties in the same 900–1,500m band. The difference is maturity against ceiling.

Variety	Maturity	Yield per acre	Standout trait
H513	110–130 days	26 bags	Shortest season in the category
H516	120–150 days	30 bags	Blight, rust and lodging resistant
H517	120–150 days	32 bags	Officially noted as ideal for irrigation

If your rains reliably run past 130 days, H516 or H517 gives you more yield for the same seed cost. H513 earns its place only where that window is genuinely uncertain.

Fertilizer Programme for H513

A short-season crop has a narrow window to build yield, so nutrient efficiency matters more than total volume applied. There is less time to correct a slow start.

Stage	Timing	Recommended pairing
Planting	At planting	Base NPK in-furrow, plus Algreen Cytomone at establishment to speed germination and drive faster, deeper early rooting — valuable when the rains window is short
Early vegetative	2–3 weeks after emergence	Algreen Supasense foliar top-up for balanced N-P-K quickly, without waiting on a slower soil-uptake cycle
Pre-tasselling	5–6 weeks after emergence	A light foliar potassium boost to support grain fill in the compressed window before the short rains taper off

Because H513 has the lowest ceiling of the three medium-maturity varieties, the return on getting timing exactly right — rather than applying more product — is proportionally higher than on a variety with more headroom to spare.

Common Mistakes With H513

Planting it in a full long-rains zone above 1,500m out of caution. H513 is a medium-altitude variety. At true highland altitude with reliable long rains, H6213 will out-yield it substantially.
Delaying planting to wait for “more rain.” A short rainfall window is short by definition. Late planting compounds the exact risk H513 is meant to reduce.
Treating it as a backup variety and skimping on fertilizer. Even a 110-day crop needs adequate nutrition to reach 26 bags per acre. Starving it saves nothing.
Choosing it over H516 or H517 without comparing. All three sit in the same altitude band, and H517 offers a higher ceiling plus an official irrigation recommendation.

Before You Buy H513

H513 is a hybrid, so seed saved from last season will not breed true — expect a 30–50% yield drop from second-generation seed.

At the counter, scratch the KEPHIS sticker and text the concealed code to 1393. The reply names the variety, and it should say H513. The service is free and takes about thirty seconds.

Frequently Asked Questions

What is H513’s yield per acre?

26 bags per acre (90 kg bags) under good management — about 2.3 tonnes per acre. Lower than H516 at 30 and H517 at 32, but H513 finishes in 110–130 days, so it delivers that yield in seasons where a highland variety would not finish grain fill at all.

What altitude does H513 need?

900 to 1,500 metres above sea level, with 500–800mm of rainfall.

What is the best Kenya Seed Company variety for short rains?

H513, H516 and H517 are the Medium Maturity varieties, all suited to 900–1,500m and maturing in 110–150 days. H513 is the shortest of the three and the best fit where the rains window is most uncertain.

Can H513 be grown in a highland long-rains zone?

It can, but a highland variety like H6213 with a 54 bags per acre ceiling will substantially out-yield it above 1,500m. H513’s advantage is medium altitude and shortened rainfall windows, not highland conditions.

Is H513 drought tolerant?

Not in the DK8031 sense. It is early-maturing rather than stress-tolerant — its strategy is finishing fast before moisture runs out, not withstanding stress mid-season.

How much does H513 seed cost in Kenya?

Around KES 2,800–3,200 for a 10kg bag, which plants roughly one acre. Confirm locally, as prices move with season and county.