What fertilizer works best for corn planting?
Corn is an important food crop and feed crop, and also the crop with the highest total production in the world. It is also known as baogu, baolu, baomi, 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?
The corn plant contains 16 elements. Apart from C, all of them must be absorbed from the soil. Among them, the ones needed in larger amounts include nitrogen, phosphorus, potassium, sulfur, calcium and magnesium, etc., and the ones 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, 60-70% of the phosphorus and 65% of the potassium it takes up. 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, the growth is better and the yield is higher. For base fertilizer, it is generally suitable 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 a weak ability to absorb nutrients, so fertilizers containing quick-acting nutrients should be chosen as seed fertilizer. Fully decomposed farmyard manure can also be applied at the same time as seed fertilizer. Generally, about 6 kg of ammonium sulfate per mu or 500 kg of fully decomposed farmyard manure can be applied, and an appropriate amount of phosphorus and potassium fertilizer can be added as suitable. The large trumpet stage is the period when corn needs the most fertilizer, and the absorption rate is also relatively fast, so quick-acting fertilizers with a relatively high nitrogen content can be chosen for application.
How should corn seed fertilizer be used properly?
1. Seed dressing: Humic acid, biological fertilizer and micro-fertilizer can be chosen. Dissolve the fertilizer, spray it on the corn seeds, and stir while spraying so that the fertilizer solution evenly adheres to the surface of the seeds. Dry in the shade, then sow.
2. Seed soaking: Dissolve the fertilizer and prepare a certain concentration. Put the seeds into the solution and soak for 12 hours. Dry in the shade, then 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 at one time as base fertilizer.
2. Seedling fertilizer: When the leaves are at 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 at one time. The application method is the same as for seedling fertilizer and should be applied in a ring. When necessary, add some fertilizing water.