Corn yield: how much can be harvested from 1 ha

Corn yield is a hot topic for a gardener. Grain is eaten, silage is prepared from immature cobs and green parts of the plant. They feed animals in difficult winter time.

All summer residents like to pick a cob of milky ripeness, boil it and eat it. The taste will delight. The quality is much higher than that bought in a store or on the market. The gardener knows what fertilizers were applied when planting crops, how the plantings were processed.

Grain keeps well. A good harvest can be used in winter to make cereals. Flour makes delicious baked goods. Popcorn is prepared at home (in a regular frying pan).

Enthusiast gardeners combine planting corn and cucumbers. Tall stems serve as a support for weaving cucumbers, protect plants from cold winds. But gardeners also want to get a good harvest of corn.

What is this culture?

In Russia, this crop was traditionally grown in the southern regions: in the Kuban, the Caucasus, in the Rostov and Voronezh provinces. The grown crop was fed to animals, used for food. Bread was baked from cornmeal.

In other regions, the culture was not planted: there was not enough heat and light. Since Khrushchev's visit to the United States, the situation has changed. The Secretary General assessed the technical characteristics of the plant and declared corn "the queen of the fields." It began to plant areas in all regions of the country.

But grain varieties were not given - they were not zoned. Today the situation has changed. Breeders have created varieties and hybrids capable of ripening. Corn is grown almost throughout the country.

Gardeners in small areas get a good harvest of corn for grain. To do this, it is enough to choose the right planting material and fulfill the requirements of agricultural technology.

Cultivation rules

A plant left to itself will never produce a decent harvest. Careful maintenance is required. To achieve the desired result, the requirements of the plant must be taken into account. Main features of corn:

sensitivity to sunlight (does not grow in the shade, but languishes);
love warmth;
demanding to moisture;
responsive to soil nutrition (requires organic and mineral fertilizers).

Starting to grow corn, weeds should be carefully removed from the intended planting areas.Seeds during germination are oppressed by harmful plants. In the phase of the third leaf, active stretching and thickening of the stem begins: no more aggressors are afraid of corn

Some gardeners recommend using herbicides to reduce labor intensity. However, you must follow the manufacturer's instructions exactly.

The plant should be given regular watering during the period of growth and development. The lack of moisture in the soil reduces the quality of the grain, reduces the yield. It is optimal to arrange drip irrigation with humidity and temperature sensors.

It is recommended to keep the soil loose. She passes air to the roots. The plant loves it.

It should be remembered: loosening is dry watering. In dry times (if it is impossible to water the corn with water), it is recommended to carry out this event every 3-4 days. To increase the yield, it is recommended to carry out foliar top dressing.They are 30% more efficient than fertilizing the soil.

When growing a crop for grain, only the net weight of cereals is taken into account. They begin to collect when the stem is completely dry (from the cobs to the ground).

If the rules of agricultural technology are followed, it is realistic to achieve corn yields from 1 hectare to 55 centners.

How to plant?

This crop can't stand the cold. Planting on ridges is recommended at an air temperature of 20-24 degrees Celsius. The soil at a depth of 10 cm should warm up to 12-15 ⁰С.

There are two ways of sowing: in trenches and holes. The second method is more labor intensive. There are no other fundamental differences.

In large areas, dry grain is poured into moist soil. A gardener can grow seedlings of corn. This will protect plantings from pests and diseases.

Recommended to place 70 cm between rows. In small areas can be planted every 40 cm.

How much corn can be harvested from 1 ha?

The yield of a plant depends on a set of measures. You should start with the choice of seed material.

Choice of variety or hybrid

When planting for the first time, it is required to determine how the crop will be used. The gardener wants to get high-quality grain in the conditions of a short summer: he should stop at hybrids. They give a good harvest. But they cost more.

Varieties tested by time. Regular cultivation on the site will allow you to harvest your own high-quality planting material. But the yield is inferior to hybrids.

There are no restrictions when growing for silage. For a good harvest, it is recommended to mix an early-ripening variety with a late-ripening one. This will increase the mass: green cobs of early ripening varieties will be added.

Popular varieties

800 hybrids and varieties of corn are registered in our country. Of these, 50 are cereals. Most Popular:

Tango. Tested in the Northwest region. The plant stretches up to 2.5 m. It has long cobs. The average yield is up to 100 q/ha. Under favorable conditions, it produces up to 145 kg / ha. Weakly reacts to droughts. But a decrease in soil moisture reduces the number of cobs. Harvest begins 100 days after germination.
MC Award 190. Designed for regions with a cool climate. But it shows excellent resistance to drought. Stem height about 2m. Ripens within 112 days. Cultivated relatively little - 10 years.
Oriol. Grown in the Volga region. Drought tolerant. The grain is large. The buds are filled. The stem height is less than 1.7 m. This makes it easy to grow and harvest. Productivity is 120 c/ha. Used for human consumption and as animal feed.

You can grow green mass for silage production from any variety. To do this, landing is carried out later or harvesting - earlier.

Known hybrids

The price of hybrid seeds is 30% higher. This is due to the cost of production when the required characteristics are achieved. But gardeners with small plots should choose them: the planting area will be reduced. The average annual rainfall for hybrids has been reduced.

Frequently planted:

Euro 401. Designed in Poland. Differs in high productivity. Subject to the growing conditions, 160 kg / ha will please. It grows up to 2.5 m. 4 cobs are tied on each stem. The grain is level. The average ripening period is about 120 days from germination to harvest. Steadily ripens under different weather conditions.Not afraid of drought.
Ross. Made in America. It has long been acclimatized in our country. Gives record yields - 12 t/ha. But the hybrid is demanding on watering. Does not tolerate drought well.
Krasnodar 436 MV. Tall (up to 2.7m) stems, wide leaves. The earth is well shaded, moisture is stored for a long time. Water consumption is reduced, the labor intensity of cultivation is reduced. Productivity is up to 160 c/ha. Heavy green mass makes excellent silage.

You should not think that the hybrid does not require care. The declared yield can only be obtained if the rules of agricultural technology are followed.

How to store the seed fund?

Productivity is ensured by proper storage of the seed fund. The collected grain needs to be sorted. For subsequent plantings, fully ripe grains should be selected. They must not show signs of injury or disease.

Corn is stored either on the cob or shelled. The humidity in the storage should not exceed 17%.

Storage on the cob requires more space. Grain with this method does not rot and does not get wet. The gardener can allow this method: a huge amount of corn is not grown on the plots.

Dumped husked grain needs to be checked regularly. A bitten grain should break into small pieces. If the skin is creased, the humidity is too high. Ventilate the storage and reduce the thickness of the layer.

Protection of plantings from pests

When growing tops, the plant needs to be protected from pests. Aphids love juicy young leaves. The root worm destroys the growing point. Insects can destroy the entire crop. Spraying with fungicides will help.

In the early stages it is effective to treat plants leaf by leaf with a double dose of urea. The operation is carried out in the evening after sunset. The weather should be calm and windless. If it rains for 3 days after treatment, the operation should be repeated.