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How to manage summer corn seedlings? These technical points must be mastered

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How to manage summer corn seedlings? Here is how summer corn seedlings can be managed: 1. Check seedlings and fill gaps. After emergence, frequently check the field for seedlings, and promptly reseed or transplant when gaps are found. If few seedlings are missing, leave double seedlings on both sides of the gap; if many are missing, when the corn has 2 to 3 leaves, transplant good seedlings with a ball of soil and water...

How to manage summer corn seedlings? Please read on


Summer corn seedlings can be managed as follows:
1. Check seedlings and fill gaps. After emergence, frequently check the field for seedlings, and promptly reseed or transplant when gaps are found. If few seedlings are missing, leave double seedlings on both sides of the gap; if many are missing, when the corn has 2 to 3 leaves, transplant good seedlings with a ball of soil and water them thoroughly. For reseeded and transplanted corn seedlings, apply extra water and fertilizer to promote rapid growth, so as to achieve uniform and strong seedlings.
2. Thinning and final thinning. Thin the corn seedlings once at the 3-leaf stage, and carry out final thinning at the 5-leaf stage. When thinning and final thinning, remove diseased and weak seedlings, and remove large and off-type seedlings, to improve population uniformity; the time should be chosen on a sunny afternoon. Generally, for large-ear varieties, leave 3000 to 3200 plants per mu; for medium-ear varieties, leave 3500 to 4000 plants per mu; for density-tolerant varieties, leave 4000 to 4500 plants per mu.
3. Intertillage and hoeing. Intertillage during the corn seedling stage can break up soil compaction, promote deeper root growth, and improve light penetration and aeration for the seedlings. Generally, 2 to 3 times can be carried out. Before final thinning, the seedlings are short, so 1 intertillage can be carried out; avoid crushing seedlings during intertillage. The intertillage depth should preferably be 3 cm to 5 cm, shallow near the seedlings and deep between the rows.
4. Chemical weed control. For chemical weed control, strictly select the type of herbicide and accurately control the dosage. After sowing corn and before emergence, use the herbicide acetochlor-atrazine mixture, 150 ml per mu plus 30 kg of water, and spray evenly on the ground; or use 50% acetochlor emulsifiable concentrate, 100 ml per mu plus 35 kg of water, and spray evenly on the soil surface between rows. When corn grows to 30 cm, directed spraying can be used: 150 ml of 20% paraquat aqueous solution per mu plus 40 kg of water to spray the ground, taking care not to spray it onto the corn.
5. Seedling hardening to promote vigor. Seedling hardening should start from the seedling stage and end before the jointing stage. For seedling hardening, grasp the principle of "hardening dark but not yellow, hardening fat but not thin, hardening dry but not wet." Interplanted corn has poorer sowing and growth conditions, so seedling hardening is generally not suitable.
6. Apply seedling fertilizer. Topdressing is generally carried out after final thinning and before the jointing stage; this topdressing helps promote roots, strengthen seedlings, and promote leaves and sturdy stalks. Organic fertilizer, phosphate fertilizer, potassium fertilizer, and micronutrient fertilizer should be applied as early as possible during the seedling stage in combination with intertillage. For high-yield fields, apply 55 kg of standard phosphate fertilizer, 25 kg of standard potassium fertilizer, 1 kg of zinc sulfate, and 30 kg of nitrogen fertilizer per mu. For medium- and low-yield fields, organic fertilizer, phosphate fertilizer, potassium fertilizer, etc. should also be used up during the seedling stage.
7. Pest and disease control. There are many types of pests during the corn seedling stage, and summer corn is especially prone to pests and diseases. At present, the main pests harming corn at the seedling stage include cutworms, aphids, thrips, cotton bollworms, fall webworms, wheat stem flies, and others. Pest forecasting should be done promptly, and pests should be controlled as soon as they are found. Control methods: use poisoned soil or seed coating agents for seed dressing when sowing. After emergence, use 1000-fold dilution of 2.5% deltamethrin and spray the ground along the seedling rows in the evening to control cutworms. Use 1500-fold dilution of 40% dimethoate emulsifiable concentrate to spray the seedling whorl to control aphids, thrips, and rice planthoppers. Use 20% fenvalerate emulsifiable concentrate or 2000-fold dilution of 50% phoxim to control armyworms. Corn seedlings are prone to viral infection and are susceptible to rough dwarf disease and dwarf mosaic disease; promptly eliminate small brown planthoppers, aphids, and others in the field and around it to reduce disease occurrence.
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