Ambition Maize Seed

The timing of nutritional inputs to the maize crop is usually early in the season, either applied to the seedbed pre-drilling, or early post-emergence up to the 4- 6 leaf stage.

Growers are being urged to monitor maize crop nutrition throughout the growing season, to make sure they reach their full potential.
Dr Simon Pope, Wynnstay crop protection manager, says ideally the nutrient inputs for sowing and establishment will already have been applied, and plans should be made regarding the maize crop nutrition throughout the rest of the season.

The last three maize seasons have had the same result – a mixed bag of performance depending on region, drilling date and harvest timings. However, in 2020, growers had a new challenge to contend with.

The removal of the maize seed treatment Mesurol left a hole in the crop protection armoury, resulting in crops being at greater risk from bird damage, which in previous years would not be high on the list of issues for most growers.

Getting the best results from your maize crop doesn't just come from management in the field. Preventing losses in the pit from fermentation and aerobic spoilage is essential.

It is essential to achieve effective weed control early in the crop's development. To avoid an irreversible effect on yield all weeds should be removed by the four-leaf stage of the crop at the very latest, and before the weeds reach 100mm in height.

A range of herbicides are available for use in maize for broadleaved weed and grass weed control. They can be divided into two categories depending on their recommended timing of application - either pre-emergence or post-emergence.

One of the first questions to address relates to your soil and its nutritional status. Do you know the pH and the P/K indicates?

If the answer is no, then it is advisable to soil sample every field going into maize. The soil pH is fundamentally important to nutrient availability, affecting not only N, P, and K, but also micronutrients. Also, do not overlook sulphur, which for maize, as for other crops, is essential for nitrogen utilisation. The best advice is to accurately establish the pH and P/K indices, to record the amount of muck and slurry applied and to produce an accurate nutrient management plan which takes all of this into account.

The additional costs associated with growing maize under film can be more than covered by the value of the increased DM yield and the increase in starch yield.

New Volac research has taken a deeper look at the benefits of making multi-cut grass silage, whereby grass is cut younger and more often over the season, and examined how to better conserve this potentially high-quality forage.

Thanks to its high nutritional content, maize silage has a lot to offer as a forage option for both dairy and beef herds. However, maize can be a marginal crop if not harvested and ensiled correctly.

There are a number of factors that can influence the success of a maize crop, discover our top 5 influencers.