Corn is a valuable crop grown in many regions of our country. In 2018, for example, about 2.5 million hectares of land were occupied under it in Russia. Corn yields depend on several factors. In any case, the cultivation of this crop may be advisable only subject to the exact observance of the established care technologies and the correct choice of variety.
Corn use
This crop is grown in the fields mainly as a forage. Corn grain, as, for example, silage from its stems, can be fed to any farm animals. The main advantage of corn feed farm owners specializing in raising pigs, cattle, rabbits, poultry, consider its high nutritional value. In this regard, corn is superior to many other cereal crops.
Also, the grain of this plant is widely used in the food industry. It is used in the preparation of starch, flour, for baking confectionery, canning, etc.
Biological features
Corn belongs to crops. However, in terms of biological features, it is very different from most representatives of this group. The main characteristic features of this plant are, of course, a very powerful root system and stem, broad leaves, as well as large grains.
The corn can reach a height of 5 m. The root system in it, like in other cereals, is fibrous. However, at the same time, it can go 2 m deep into the soil. The thick stalk of corn inside is filled with a spongy mass. In young plants, it, among other things, is also very juicy and contains a lot of sugar.
The leaves of the corn are wide, with wavy edges. On each plant in the growing season develops one male and female inflorescence. The latter in the process of ripening and forms an ear.
Types of corn
There are only 8 varieties of this culture distinguished by biological characteristics. However, only five of them are of economic importance:
sweetcorn
tooth-like;
bursting;
siliceous;
starchy.
Sugarcorn is used primarily for human boiled foods. Also, the grains of this variety usually go to the preparation of canned food. Subsequently, such a product can be used, for example, in the preparation of salads.
Dental corn grain has a characteristic indentation in the upper part. His shape is wedge-shaped. That is, outwardly such a grain resembles a horse’s tooth, from where the name of the variety came from. The features of these varieties are primarily a well-developed stem and high productivity. Due to these features, dentiform corn in our country is quite popular.
In the siliceous variety, the grain is flat on the sides and has a rounded top. Most varieties and hybrids of this group are characterized by early maturity.
Popping corn is characterized primarily by small grains. It is grown in Russia not too often. The grain of this variety has a pointed top and bursts during heat treatment.
Starchy corn has a very soft grain. A mealy endosperm is also its distinctive feature. This variety is grown mainly for the subsequent processing of grain into starch, molasses and oil.
In addition to varieties, breeders also bred maize hybrids. The yield of such plants can actually be very high. Hybrids have this feature due to heterosis.
What is the average yield of corn in Russia
A distinctive feature of this culture is, among other things, the ability to collect large quantities of grain. In the world in this indicator, corn currently surpasses wheat 1.7 times, rice 1.2 times. In Russia, unfortunately, this plant is not given as much attention as we would like. Due to the use of imperfect cultivation technologies, the average yield of maize per hectare in Russia is much lower than in the world. Unfortunately, there are not too many good domestic varieties of this culture, ideally adapted to the not very favorable climate of our country.
The average yield of corn in the Russian Federation for 2018 is 35-45 c / ha. For example, for wheat, this figure is 60 kg / ha. First of all, the low productivity of this crop is due to the fact that it is usually not watered on Russian farms. Meanwhile, artificial irrigation using almost any cultivation technology, the corn crop can raise up to 100-110 kg / ha. Sometimes, subject to watering during the growing season, farms even achieve great indicators.
What yield may depend on
Irrigated corn, thus, gives larger ears and in large quantities. However, the yield of this crop, of course, can be influenced by other factors. First of all, this is the right choice:
Cultivation techniques
In our country, as in many other countries of the world, only two main technologies for growing corn are used:
The cultivation techniques in both of these cases are similar. The difference between them lies mainly in the selection of the appropriate variety for planting in the fields.
The influence of soil cultivation methods on the yield of corn
When growing this crop, it is very important to properly prepare the fields for planting seeds. When choosing a specific methodology for the main and pre-sowing tillage for corn, the following factors should be taken into account:
features of predecessors;
terms of cleaning predecessors;
degree of weediness in the fields;
prevailing weed species.
For example, when placing corn after early ripening crops of continuous sowing in the fields, double stubbling of stubble is carried out with disk equipment to a depth of 8-10 cm. Using this technique, about 76% of weeds die in the fields. At the same time, the yield of corn from 1 ha increases by about 3 centners.
In the event that the fields are heavily clogged with perennial grasses of perennial grasses, stubble is also peeled twice with disk equipment. In addition, ploughshare or plane cutting to a depth of 14-15 cm is also carried out. After the first peeling, in this case, herbicides are applied to the fields.
In the south of the country, where the post-harvest period is usually long, improved soil cultivation technology is used to destroy perennial weeds. In this case, the following operations are performed in the fields:
Also, in the southern regions, prior to deep plowing in September, such procedures as cultivation and harrowing can be carried out.
The influence of soil cultivation methods on the yield of corn has a great. This is especially true in cases where this crop has been cultivated in the fields for several years. When using this growing technology for better sealing of crop residues, they are crushed with disk cultivators or harrows, treating the field in two directions to a depth of 8-10 cm.The try to harvest the predecessor at the lowest possible cut.
In arid regions, corn soil is usually tilled with plane cutters. Black soil for corn is plowed with plows to a depth of 25-30 cm. Arable land with a smaller nutrient layer is cultivated over the entire thickness of the latter.
Dependence of yield on variety
Unfortunately, breeding work with corn in our country is not carried out very extensively. Varieties giving good yields are not very numerous. But still, such varieties in Russia, of course, exist. At the moment, they show the best yield of corn varieties:
Gamma - Russian Krasnodar, a very unpretentious and rapidly developing hybrid (up to 145 c / ha).
Krasnodar grain with a maturity of 85 days and a yield of 119 kg / ha.
Athlete is a tall plant with a ripening period of 85-88 days and a maximum yield of 127-137 kg / ha.
Porumbel is a three-linear hybrid with a maturity of only 65 days.
Also on the fields in Russia a hybrid SI Phenomenon can be cultivated. The yield of corn of this variety is 120-130 kg / ha. This hybrid belongs to the group of early ripe.
The most popular varieties of fodder corn grown for silage are:
Partisan - accumulates in the stem up to 90% of all starch and 14% of fats (feed units - 6400 / ha);
Krasnodar 4 - a hybrid with dense high stems (8700 / ha);
Sterling is a disease resistant variety (up to 6950 / ha).
Features of corn cultivation: predecessors
The methods of cultivating this crop for grain and silage, as already mentioned, are used almost the same. The appropriate kind of corn is simply sown in the fields , giving a lot of high-quality marketable grain or green mass. The only thing, when grown for food, this plant in the fields is sometimes placed simultaneously with other crops included in the diet of farm animals. This does not affect the yield of silage maize.
Legumes and legumes, as well as spikes fertilized with manure, are considered the best precursors for this plant. When planting after such plants, the yield of corn per hectare will most likely be maximum. On nutritious soils, this culture is allowed to grow for several years in one place. If, however, less than 50% of the established norm is applied to the fields, it is allowed to cultivate corn in the same field no longer than 3-5 years. In this case, it is usually alternated with alfalfa, grown for 3-4 years.
Soil and site selection
The yield of corn in Russia, as elsewhere in the world, depends, of course, including on the correct choice of the place of planting. This crop is placed in agricultural enterprises, usually only on rather loose soil containing a lot of micro and macro elements. In those fields where the soil has an acid reaction, it is not recommended to grow corn. In an extreme case, before planting this crop, such land must necessarily be made. In the fall, during the main tillage for maize, organic fertilizers are usually applied. In the spring, they use mineral:
When choosing a site for this culture, among other things, it is recommended to pay attention to the relief. This factor also has a significant effect on corn yields. It is believed that this culture develops best in areas with southern exposure. In temperate regions, it is recommended to plant corn in fields covered from the north or northeast by forests, hills, etc.
Sowing
Corn seeds are supposed to be pickled for disease prevention 15 days before planting. With early sowing in fields not cultivated by harrowing, planting material of this crop is buried by 2-3 cm. In the event that harrowing the soil was carried out, this indicator is increased by 1-2 cm.
When cultivated for grain, the consumption of corn seeds during planting is usually 70-80 thousand units / ha. For varieties grown for silage, this figure will be 90-120 thousand units / ha.
How is Corn Care
During the growing season, when growing this crop, among other things, the following operations are performed:
pre-emergence harrowing - 4-6 days after planting;
the second harrowing in 15 days (it is made if for the first time no herbicides were applied to the soil);
post-emergence harrowing in the phase of 3-4 leaves;
inter-row treatments - after row designation;
hilling at a height of 25-30 cm.
In the case of severe weediness of fields with corn, among other things, they are treated with herbicides.
Harvesting
The yield of corn from 1 ha, subject to all cultivation technologies and the correct selection of varieties, can thus be very large. But, of course, this culture, among other things, also needs to be removed properly. Otherwise, the yield may decrease significantly due to grain losses in the field.
Harvesting in the event that the plants were grown for silage, proceed in the phase of wax or milk ripeness of the grain or after damage to the green mass by frost. The cutting length of the stems in this case is 2-5 cm, and the cutting height is 10-12 cm.
Harvesting with the separation of ears is carried out when the moisture content of corn grain reaches 40%. At the same time, special design combines are used in the fields. If the cobs are intended for feeding livestock, they are first cut into pieces. Then they are either given fresh to the farm animals, or silage in combination with other ingredients.
If the cobs were grown to produce marketable grain, they are first peeled. Next, the corn is dried to a moisture content of 25-30%. After threshing, the grain is cleaned. Then it is dried using special equipment. At the final stage, the grain thus prepared is supplied to food industry enterprises.