Corn is the real "queen of the fields" - one of the most widespread cereals cultivated all over the world. Easily adapts to any climate, high yielding, but with good care after sowing.
A person takes literally everything from corn and uses it in various spheres of life - ears, corn silk, stalks and leaves. This is not only a very useful food product, the basis for the production of medicines, but also a huge fodder base for animal husbandry (grains go to feed poultry and pigs, and the stems go to the production of silage).
The vegetable is planted both in Russia and in Ukraine, the main thing is to observe the sowing technology, and take care of it after the seedlings appear properly.
How to prepare corn kernels for planting
Corn - the most thermophilic cereal plant... In addition, it is so “cultivated” by humans that it does not occur in the wild (it is not able to shower seeds and germinate on its own). Therefore, in order to obtain high yields for corn, careful maintenance is needed, and it must start from the seed base.
The quality of the seed material, their productive properties have a great influence on the final result.
Corn seeds require certain preparatory measures before planting in the soil.
- Firstly, specialized farms are engaged in the cultivation of cereals for seeds. They are also working on developing new hybrid varieties, striving for continuous improvement of the seed base.
- Secondly, other specialized farms are engaged in special preparation of seeds for sowing... To do this, the grains are separated from the cobs, cleaned and sorted strictly by grade. Then the seeds are dried and etched - they are treated with special fungicidal preparations that protect the grains from fungal and other bactericidal diseases. Dressing protects not only seeds, but also seedlings from pathogens in the soil, taking into account the timing of sowing.
- Third, they conduct a mandatory calibration corn seeds, i.e. dividing them into fractions by size. This provides an accurate calculation of the seeding rate of seeds per 1 ha and uniformity of crops.
- Fourth, before sowing, air-thermal heating seed grains, which increases the germination rate of the culture, the survival of shoots in the early stages.
The best predecessors for corn
To increase the yield of any agricultural crop, an important role is played crop rotation, i.e. annual crop rotation on the same sowing area.
Potatoes, legumes and winter wheat are the most favorable predecessors for maize. Our cereal gives good yields after alfalfa in fallow areas.
If the acidity of the soil does not exceed the norm - from 5.5 to 7 pH, the systematic introduction of correctly selected fertilizers, corn can be sown as a monoculture, i.e. several years in a row on the same sown areas.
Seeding culture
Since corn is a heat-loving plant, it can be sown after warming up the soil by 8-12 degrees at a depth of about 10 cm.
Depending on the climatic conditions of the area, this occurs approximately from early to mid-May... The depth of planting seeds in the soil is 5-6 cm, in arid regions - up to 8 cm.
The most effective is sowing in furrows (in comparison with ridge sowing), since in this case it is possible to huddle the sprouts, which contributes to the development of the root system, strengthening the aerial roots, and, thereby, increasing the yield.
Density
Sowing density depends on the natural conditions of the growing area, purpose (grain or silage), corn variety (early maturing or late), maximum height of mature plants.
Taking into account all the parameters, the sowing density is calculated or selected individually so that each plant receives a sufficient amount of moisture, light, and nutrients. She may hesitate from 50,000 to 120,000 seeds / ha.
For example, the density of the stalk of early maturing varieties in the steppe zone should be on average 60 thousand per hectare, approximately 40-45 plants per 10 meters with a row spacing of 0.7 m.
Sowing rate of seeds per 1 ha in kg
The seeding rate, as well as the density, depends on a number of indicators: the growing area, the direction of use of the crop, the method of sowing, the size of the planting grains, and the individual characteristics of the hybrids.
Seed consumption fluctuates from 15 to 25 kg per hectare.
The need for seedling thinning
Usually corn fields are sown with special pneumatic seeders. They provide a “dotted” way of planting seeds in the soil, keeping the exact distance between seeds in a row and between rows.
Thus, the right amount of seeds is immediately sown at a given distance from each other. Thinning of seedlings not required and does not make sense.
Growing technology
The process of growing corn crops is quite simple, it includes several main stages:
- tillage before sowing - autumn plowing the field to a depth of 25-30 cm, if necessary, it is possible to simultaneously apply herbicides against perennial weeds;
- autumn cultivation with fertilization;
- spring soil preparation method harrowing - early (when the soil is heavily contaminated with weeds) and pre-sowing cultivation (to the depth of sowing seeds - 6-8 cm), the introduction of complex fertilizers;
- preparation of seeds for sowing;
- sowing corn, taking into account the timing and compliance with the rate and seeding depth;
- pre- and post-emergence harrowing to destroy weeds and loosen the soil;
- harvesting (at an earlier date, corn is harvested for silage, and when the grain moisture content reaches 35-40%, the grain is harvested).
If you follow the basic rules of agricultural technology, growing corn on farms can bring tangible income.
High yield and great demand make the culture attractive for cultivation. In the countries of the world, 20% of all grain is used in the food industry, the same amount - in technical production, more than 60% is used for feed.
The ability to adapt to different weather conditions has enabled breeders to create many hybrid varieties. Any farmer can choose the hybrids that are most suitable for a given climate and grow an excellent harvest.