What should be noted when growing corn?

Recently, the weather in Northeast China has continued to be clear, the moisture content of wet grain has decreased, and prices have continued to rise! The life of corn goes through several stages: seed germination, emergence, jointing, differentiation and formation of tassels and ears, tasseling and flowering, and grain filling and maturity. During the process of growing corn, the following issues need attention.

I. The relationship between corn growth and development and environmental conditions

1. Temperature. It requires a temperature above 10°C and is a warmth-loving crop.

2. Light. Early-maturing varieties respond slowly to light, while late-maturing varieties are sensitive to light. It is a warmth-loving short-day crop.

3. Water. It consumes a large amount of water; a single corn plant uses 150-200 kg of water in its lifetime.

4. Soil and nutrients. Corn has strong adaptability and is not strict about soil pH. It requires deep soil, high organic matter content, good soil structure, and a pH between 6-7.

II. Symptoms of nutrient deficiency in corn

1. Phosphorus deficiency at the seedling stage.

(1) Poor root development, which affects fertilizer absorption.

(2) Purple-red color appears on the leaves, leaf margins curl, and the stem turns purple.

(3) Phosphorus deficiency at the mid stage delays silking, causes poor fertilization, and forms deformed ears.

(4) Phosphorus deficiency at the late stage delays ear maturity and results in shriveled kernels.

2. Potassium deficiency at the seedling stage.

(1) Leaves turn yellow or yellowish-brown, and the leaf tips and margins dry up.

(2) Plants grow slowly, stems are short, and internodes become shorter.

(3) In cases of severe potassium deficiency, leaf tips appear scorched and gradually turn dark brownish-red.

(4) Older plants stop growing, leaf veins turn yellow, internodes shorten, roots become thin and small, and plants are prone to lodging.

(5) Ears become bare at the tip, kernels are small, starch content is low, and quality is poor.

3. Zinc deficiency at the seedling stage.

(1) Seedlings produce white leaves, white spots appear on leaf veins, plants become dwarfed, internodes shorten, and leaves dry up or even die.

(2) Zinc deficiency at the mid stage causes yellow-green striped patterns on the middle and lower leaves, resembling mosaic leaves.

(3) At the late stage, leaves show a mosaic pattern from bottom to top, development is hindered, and ears have missing kernels and bare tips.