Harvesting corn for grain from fields on the cob: rules and terms of collection

Corn harvesting can be done in different ways. Grain is grown for silage or for grain. And in both cases, the cleaning process has its own characteristics. The difference lies in the timing of harvesting, as well as in the choice of a combine harvester with special attachments. If the agrotechnical methods of growing crops and the rules for harvesting finished products were observed, then the quantity and quality of the crop will please.

Corn ripeness stages

Corn is harvested at different times, which depend on the purpose of the crop. There are several stages of grain maturity:

1. The stage of milky ripeness is characterized by light whitish grains on the cob. They have a high sugar content. If you press on the seeds, then white, sweet juice will appear from them. They taste sweet, tender and juicy. The leaves fit tightly around the cob, and it becomes difficult to separate them. The hairs are soft, moist, brown at the base. This corn is best harvested by hand. You can eat both raw and boiled.
2. The onset of the wax stage can be recognized by the light yellow color of the grains, inside of which there is no longer any liquid. To the touch, they are of medium density, if you press on the seeds, a dent remains on them. As it matures, the density increases. The amount of starch in the grains increases. The sugar in the grains begins to turn into starch, and the juice turns into pulp.
3. Biological ripeness is characterized by rich yellow or orange color of the grains.The leaves that fit the cob begin to turn yellow and dry, they are easy to separate. Hair becomes brown and dry. Corn at this stage of ripeness is harvested by a combine, and the main purpose is to make silage for herbivorous domestic animals.

During the grain formation stage, the moisture level is almost 90%. In the stage of milky ripeness, the moisture content of grain on the cob is 58%, in the period of wax ripeness, the moisture content of seeds is about 37%. When the corn is fully ripe, the grains become hard, and the humidity is no more than 25%.

How to grow corn?

General rules for growing a good crop.

Air temperature	+12-25 degrees
Soil	Should not be acidic. Podzolic, peat and chernozem composition with good aeration is best suited.
Predecessors	Cucumbers, potatoes, legumes, tomatoes, onions are considered the best predecessors.
Fertilizers	It is recommended to apply potash-phosphorus fertilizers and organics in autumn. The culture responds well to humus and compost. After unfolding 4 leaves, nitrogen fertilizing can be applied. Potassium and phosphorus are needed at all stages of development.
Irrigation	Culture needs abundant watering, especially during the germination period seeds and cob formation.
Diseases	Rust, fusarium, powdery mildew, blister smut.

Optimal timing recommended for harvesting corn from the field has been developed. If they are observed, then there will be minimal losses and high quality of the crop.

Crop losses in a corn field increase when harvested after frost and during times of high humidity.The grain gains moisture, the ears become heavy, as a result, the stems rot and bend. Collecting such cobs with agricultural machinery becomes problematic.

Two main harvesting methods:

• cob cutting, which may or may not be accompanied by leaf peeling;
• harvesting with simultaneous threshing of grain.

Mechanical grain processing unit allows you to harvest, thresh cobs and chop plants. Combine harvesters are used for grain harvesting (Khersonets, KOP-1, grain harvester with PPK-4 attachment). A header is also used in conjunction with this technique. It differs from other units in that it is a device for processing stems and leaves of small size. Corn is harvested for silage by forage harvesters.

How do you know it's harvest time?

The timing of the ripening of the crop depends on the variety, climatic and weather conditions. Corn is harvested most often in early August, by which time the corn stigma becomes brown.

Certain signs will help you gather corn for fresh consumption. If the stigma inside the leaf is still greenish in color, and the outside is brown, then the corn is in the milky-wax stage of development. If you lightly press on the grain, then a milky, sweet juice will appear from it. The maximum amount of nutrients is concentrated in such cobs, they can be eaten fresh or used for cooking.

If the grain crop is intended for the production of silage, then harvesting of corn is started after the onset of wax ripeness. In the southern regions of the country, this period coincides with the last days of August.In some areas, cleaning may also take place in November. By this time, the moisture content of the green mass may exceed 70%. Popcorn is waiting for the onset of biological ripeness, when the grains become hard.

If you intend to use corn as a planting material, it is recommended to wait until the leaves turn completely yellow and dry. The harvested crop is placed in a cool place for a month until fully ripened. Once the grains are completely dry, they are transferred to a dry, glass container.

If the grains for planting are not harvested before frost, they lose their germination capacity, and the risk of developing fungal diseases increases. The result is reduced nutritional value and yield.

Harvesting corn for fresh consumption

When growing corn, there are several signs of when to harvest. The main thing here is to guess the onset of milky ripeness. Signs:

• The ears deviate sideways from the stem. The leaves fit snugly around the cob and are green in color.
• The cobs closest to the top are picked first. They are the ones that ripen faster.
• The hair should turn brown and become dry. If they are moist and reddish in color, then the stage of milky maturity has not yet come.
• Seeds should be white-yellowish. When pressing on the grain, the juice should be white, not transparent. If the juice has become thick, and the color of the grains is dark yellow, then the stage of milky ripeness has been missed. Such seeds lose their juiciness and sweetness.
• The cob is easily separated from the stem by hand.

Since sugar quickly turns into starch, after harvesting the corn must be eaten, otherwise the taste and sweetness will be lost. You can extend the taste by placing the cobs in the refrigerator.

Cereal for grain is harvested on the cob or with simultaneous threshing of the cobs. For fresh consumption, the procedure does not make sense.

How to harvest corn for popcorn?

Special varieties of popcorn are planted to make popcorn (Volkan, Vnuchkina Joy, Oerlikon, Gostinets).

Popcorn corn is harvested only after the onset of the biological stage of maturity. By this time, the leaves and stems turn yellow, dry out, panicles become dark brown.

Be sure to harvest before frost, otherwise the harvested corn will not be suitable for making popcorn. It is better to pick the cobs from the stem by hand.

After harvesting grain corn, the cobs are deleafed and spread on a cloth surface in a warm, dry place with good ventilation. The cobs should remain partially damp inside.

To check the readiness of a grain crop for the production of popcorn, it is necessary to periodically heat up several grains in a pan. If the seeds open completely, then all cobs are ready. After that, the crop is moved to a cool place.

Collection of corn cobs for grain

Corn for grain is harvested with special harvesters during the period of biological ripeness. At this point, the cob should have at least 60% dry matter, and at least 70% dry matter in the grain. The higher the percentage of dry matter in the grain, the better. Varieties of corn for grain: Spirit, Pioneer, Syngenta, Dobrynya, Trophy, Sundance.

Don't start harvesting with high humidity in the grains. At this time, the level of various impurities increases, and the commercial quality of products is lost.

When harvesting corn for grain, a number of agrotechnical requirements must be observed:

• cut plants need at a distance of 15 cm from the ground;
• when harvesting with a grain combine, you need to ensure that no more than 5-7% of the grains are damaged on the cob;
• if special harvesters are used, the number of damaged grains should not exceed 1.5%.

As a result of harvesting with a combine, more than 90% of the ears are already peeled.

Features of harvesting corn for silage

The most valuable is corn on the cob, which was harvested at the end of the milk stage or at the beginning of wax ripeness, when the leaves are still green. These cobs contain many useful components for livestock. Moisture in beans is about 70%.

Begin to harvest corn with special equipment.Permissible dry matter content 30%. The moisture content of the leaves should be at the level of 68%, the humidity in the grain - 45-50%. The plant is mowed at a distance of 20 cm from the ground, all parts of the plant, including grains, must be crushed. The size of the parts must not exceed 7 mm.

The resulting silage in the form of well-compacted briquettes is stacked in pre-prepared trenches. This will improve the quality of the product and increase the shelf life.

Nutritional value of corn seeds per 100 grams

There are 360 kcal in 100 g of corn seeds. Protein content 9 g, fat 5 g, carbohydrates 70 g, fiber 7 g. Nutrients include vitamins (B vitamins, vitamin A, vitamin C, vitamin E), micro and macro elements (calcium, iron, magnesium, potassium) , amino acids (alanine, valine, methionine). In addition, the composition includes saturated and unsaturated fatty acids.

The appearance of the plant will tell you when it is best to harvest the corn.The leaves become light green in color, the edges dry out. Cobs are harvested selectively, as they do not all ripen at the same time. The collection lasts about two weeks. Don't harvest cobs too early or too late.

You can store corn on the cob. Cobs should be in a cool, dark place where the humidity is not more than 15%. The cobs are cleaned of leaves, sorted and dried. The main mass of the harvested grains in dry cobs should be easily separated from the base.

You can also store in grain. With this method of storage, you need to prepare plastic or glass containers, cardboard boxes or cloth bags in advance.

Store corn in seeds in a cool place protected from pests and diseases. If the grains are to be used as planting material, it is better to harvest the cobs by hand.

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