Drilling tips and considerations
Maize Agronomy
In addition to variety selection, being successful in growing maize is also dependent on following good agronomy and management practices. Optimal soil conditions at drilling are required to ensure good germination and plant establishment. Modern maize hybrids have a high degree of cold tolerance but should not be drilled before soils have reached an even temperature of 8°C for light soils, 10°C for heavy soils for 3-4 days, usually around mid- April to May.
Altitude
Soil Depth
Herbicides Pre-emergence
Avoid high altitude sites which are often colder. As a rule, growers should consider 600 feet above sea level to be very marginal and have a shorter growing season. However, individual fields above 600 feet with lighter, drier soil types that will warm up quickly in spring can be considered.
To support its bulk and height, a maize plant requires a very extensive root system. Ideally, crops should be grown where there is a good depth of topsoil. Where the soil is shallower root development may be impaired and produce stunted crops, with resultant lower yields. Crop maturity can also be delayed. The same effects can occur where soil is compacted. Seed should be sown on to a firm base at 3-6cm depth. Use deeper sowing for lighter, drier soils and shallower sowing for heavy sols. Despite this, drilling into moisture is more important than depth.
• Broad leaved weeds and grass weeds – PDM (Anthem or Wing P)
Post-emergence (before buttress roots develop)
• Broad leaved weeds – mesotrione (Temsa SC), pyridate (Diva) or dicamba mixtures (Kingsley). • Thistles – clopyralid (Shield Pro) • Docks and volunteer potatoes – fluroxypyr (Hurler) • Grass weeds – nicosulfuron (Fornet 6OD)
Aspect
Ideally any fields selected for maize production should face south and be sheltered from wind. Avoid fields which are very exposed, or have heavy, poorly drained soils, and any locations which are known to suffer from frost. An established crop at 2-6 leaf stage can be set back 2-3 weeks by a late May frost. Avoid steep sloping fields to reduce the risk of nitrate leaching and soil erosion.
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Weed Control
Maize can suffer considerably from weed competition during the early growth stages. Ideally, a clean, weed free site should be chosen. A weed control programme applying either pre-emergence and/or post emergence herbicides can be followed.
Fungicides
• Eyespot – azoxystrobin (Tazer)
BARTHOLOMEWS
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