What is the best fertilizer for growing corn? Latest fertilization plan recommendations
Corn is an important food crop and feed crop, and also the crop with the highest total production in the world, also known as bao gu, bao lu, bao mi, etc. It is an annual herbaceous plant of the genus Zea in the grass family, and is now cultivated all over the world. Its planting area and total production are second only to rice and wheat. Let us take a look below at what fertilizer is best for growing corn!
What fertilizer requirements does corn have?
Corn plants contain 16 elements, and apart from the C element, all must be absorbed from the soil. Among them, the ones needed in larger amounts include nitrogen, phosphorus, potassium, sulfur, calcium and magnesium, etc., while those needed in smaller amounts include iron, manganese, zinc, copper, barium, etc. From 10 days before tasseling to 25-30 days after silking is the stage when corn accumulates dry matter fastest and absorbs the most fertilizer. During this stage, it absorbs 70-75% of the total nitrogen uptake, 60-70% of the phosphorus and 65% of the potassium. According to calculations, producing 100 kg of corn grain requires 2.5 kg of nitrogen, 1 kg of phosphorus and 2.1 kg of potassium. If the yield is 500 kg per mu, corn requires about 33 kg of urea or 50 kg of ammonium nitrate, 31 kg of superphosphate and 13 kg of potassium sulfate.
What fertilizer is best for growing corn?
Throughout the entire growth cycle, corn has the greatest demand for nitrogen, followed by potassium, with phosphorus third, and it also needs an appropriate supply of mineral elements. When the nitrogen-phosphorus-potassium ratio is around 1:0.49:0.9, growth is better and yield is higher. For base fertilizer, it is generally advisable to apply 3000 kg of organic fertilizer, all of the phosphorus and potassium fertilizer, and 1/3 of the nitrogen fertilizer. Corn seedlings have underdeveloped root systems and weak nutrient absorption capacity, so fertilizers containing quick-acting nutrients should be selected as seed fertilizer. Decomposed farmyard manure can also be applied at the same time as seed fertilizer. Generally, about 6 kg of ammonium sulfate or 500 kg of decomposed farmyard manure is applied per mu, and an appropriate amount of phosphorus and potassium fertilizer can be added as suitable. The large trumpet stage of corn is the period of greatest fertilizer demand, and the absorption rate is also relatively fast, so quick-acting fertilizers with higher nitrogen content can be selected for application.
How should corn seed fertilizer be used properly?
1. Seed dressing: humic acid, biological fertilizer and micro-fertilizer can be selected. Dissolve the fertilizer, spray it on the corn seeds, stir while spraying so that the fertilizer solution evenly adheres to the seed surface, then dry in the shade before sowing.
2. Seed soaking: dissolve the fertilizer to make a certain concentration, put the seeds into the solution and soak for 12 hours, then dry in the shade and sow immediately.
3. Band application or hole application: chemical fertilizers are suitable for band application or hole application, with an amount of 2 to 5 kg, but the fertilizer must be separated from the seeds. Deep fertilization is better, with a depth of 10 to 15 cm being suitable. Urea, ammonium bicarbonate, ammonium chloride and potassium chloride are not suitable as seed fertilizer.
How should fertilizer be applied at each stage of corn?
1. Base fertilizer: base fertilizer is mainly applied by combining slow-release fertilizer with quick-acting fertilizer. Slow-release fertilizer refers to farmyard manure, and quick-acting fertilizer refers to ordinary calcium superphosphate, urea, potassium fertilizer and zinc fertilizer. 1000-1500 kg of organic fertilizer, 30 kg of ordinary calcium superphosphate, 6 kg of urea and 2 kg of zinc fertilizer are applied all at once as base fertilizer.
2. Seedling fertilizer: when the leaves have 6-7 leaves, apply 10 kg of urea in a ring around the corn plants. When applying, the urea should be 3-4 cm away from the plants and must not be applied directly on the plants. The best time for fertilization is after rainy days. If the weather is too dry, it is best to water a little after topdressing.
3. Jointing fertilizer: jointing fertilizer is generally applied two months after sowing. At this time, the number of corn leaves is generally 11-12. Apply 24 kg of urea and 10 kg of potassium fertilizer all at once. The fertilization method is the same as for seedling fertilizer and should be applied in a ring. When necessary, add some fertilizer water.