Corn Farming

It is the most cultivated crop in terms of cultivation area after corn, wheat and paddy. This plant is of great importance for the adequate and economical production of plant-derived proteins. The share of corn in total grain production in the world is 38.1% (FAO, 2014).

How should corn fertilization be?

First, let’s look at the nutrients that corn needs from the soil. Since corn has a long and large vegetative part on the soil surface, its demand for nutrients is higher compared to other plants. The sufficient nutrients along with the use of suitable fertilizer for the structure of the soil should be provided to corn from the beginning of seeding. One of the most important factors in fertilizing is to have a soil analysis before fertilization.

One of the necessities for a healthy wheat development and yield crops is adequate nitrogen intake. The most obvious indicator of nitrogen deficiency is the yellowing that will appear on the leaves. Starting from the tip of the wheat leaves, a color change from yellow to light green is observed in the leaf root. As it can be seen in the wheat on the right image below, the knuckle defined as stunted development causes shortness of breaks and wrinkles occur in the plant.

Corn grows better in deep profile, rich in organic matter, high water holding capacity aerated soils.

The lack of organic matter in the soil is the most dangerous of plant nutrient deficiencies which affects the yields most. The soil which lacks organic matter is like a world where life ends. Seeds planted in this soil structure cannot absorb the necessary nutrients and need more fertilizer each time. Seleda fertilizers with high amount of organic matter show very good results in a short time as it ensures the revival of the soil. You can clearly see the difference in corn obtained only by using Seleda BioGas, the domestic and national product of Seleda, which has the European Union Organic Certificate.

General Demands of Corn

The most important factors that determine the limits of corn growing are temperature and growing period. Although corn is a hot climate plant, it does not require excessive heat. Under normal conditions, it starts to germinate around 10- 11 ° C, and when the soil temperature reaches 15° C, the germination speed increases. For a good development, the moisture must be sufficient (relative humidity 60%) and properly distributed in the soil. Although it is grown in various soil types, it is advantageous to grow in well-ventilated, drained, loamy and organic matter rich soils. Since it is sensitive to soil acidity, the recommended soil pH varies between 6.0 and 7.2. Depending on the variety, climate and soil conditions, the development period is over 110 days with exceptions.