What to Do About Lodged Corn? Cause Analysis and Solutions
Corn lodging during cultivation is a common phenomenon. Lodging between the heading stage and grain filling may cause total crop failure, while lodging after grain filling also affects yield and quality, resulting in reduced production and poorer quality. So what causes corn lodging? And how should it be solved? Let's take a look together with QinNongNet.
1. Types of Lodging
According to the lodging situation of corn, it can be divided into three types: root lodging, stem lodging and stem breakage.
Root lodging: This shows as the stems and leaves of the planted crop remaining unchanged, neither bending nor breaking, with only the position of the corn root system in the soil changing; it mostly occurs during the jointing and heading growth stages.
Stem lodging: This shows as no obvious change in the root system, which remains fixed in position in the soil, but the plant's stalk bends; it generally occurs in varieties planted at high density or with relatively strong stalk flexibility.
Stem breakage: Stem breakage is the upgraded version of stem lodging; the root system shows no obvious change, but the stalk directly breaks and falls from a certain internode. This situation has the greatest impact, and in severe cases results in no harvest at all.
2. Causes of Lodging
The causes of corn lodging can be roughly divided into three kinds. First, variety: some varieties grow tall plants, but their stalks are thin and weak and their root systems are underdeveloped, so after grain filling the stalks cannot bear the weight of the grain and lodge. Second, human factors: there are many human causes, for example, high planting density and poor air permeability between plants lead to poor growth and large-scale lodging; improper fertilization can also cause lodging. Third, weather: as the saying goes, natural disasters and man-made misfortunes; in seasons of heavy rain and strong wind (typhoons), torrential rain and powerful winds directly press or blow the plants down.
3. Preventive Measures
Among the three causes of lodging, apart from weather, which cannot be controlled, the other two can both be prevented through human effort. When selecting seeds, choose varieties with strong plant growth, relatively short heading height and relatively thick stalks. When planting, control the density reasonably; it should not be too dense. According to different varieties, generally keep 3500-4500 plants per mu. From July to November, carry out timely chemical control and spray foliar fertilizer to strengthen plant growth, and fertilize reasonably; during the heading stage, detassel every other row, and after pollination remove all tassels. The effect of preventing lodging is relatively good.
4. Solutions
If lodging occurs before the corn heading stage, do not move or lift the plants; after a few days of lodging they will naturally straighten up, and the stem nodes near the ground will naturally take root. In the later period there will be no secondary lodging; on the contrary, the root mass increases, and there will be no impact on yield and quality. If you lift them up, secondary lodging may occur, and they will not take root, affecting yield. If lodging occurs after heading, do not cut leaves and do not remove the tops; you can only lift them up and then tie them in bundles. The number of plants per bundle should not be too many; generally 3-4 plants is enough. The bundles should be tied tightly and must not be loose. It is best to tie them on the same day as the lodging; if more than three days have passed, it is not suitable to lift them, otherwise it will cause damage to the root system.
The above is the causes of corn lodging and solutions brought to you by QinNongNet. We hope it can help you. To learn more about corn cultivation knowledge, please keep following QinNongNet.