Technological lines for corn cultivation differ from the aspect of soil cultivation (all-area or strip-till). The strip-till cultivation is an important method when seeds are placed into prepared strips that were cultivated in autumn or spring. Corn is an important source of cattle roughage. To grow properly, it requires a good seed placement depth, number of plants per hectare, and optimal date of seeding. In the seeding plan, corn follows cereals or oilseeds.

After the previous winter oilseed rape harvest, it is recommended to cultivate soil in a shallow depth to incorporate unwanted seeds (they will germinate fast), to cut resistant stalks, and to evenly spread crop residue in the field.

When the unwanted seeds germinate after the previous shallow cultivation, we recommend performing stubble cultivation with catch crop seeding during September, using a seeding unit mounted on a disc cultivator. The catch crop vegetation (phacelia, mustard, buckwheat, field pea) in the intergrowth period improves soil properties.

Strip-till soil cultivation can be performed in autumn, or in spring after the catch crop has gone through frost. The benefits of strip-till soil cultivation include faster warming up of the processed strips by sun, soil aeration, reduced erosion, better water absorption in soil when compared with direct seeding, and cost savings in the form of a targeted application of supply fertilizer into the processed strips.

A deep strip-till cultivator can also be used for soil cultivation in autumn. It allows for processing soil in strips with an inter-row distance of 75 cm at a higher depth (max. 55 cm), with fertilizer placed at a depth of 15-20 cm, making it easily accessible to the crop.

During vegetation, we recommend performing inter-row cultivation in order to considerably increase vegetation conditions. Disrupting soil crust after rain means more air for the crop, which can continue growing without problems. In dry seasons, weeding creates an insulation layer and reduces evaporation. Weeding is indispensable for mechanical regulation of weeds, or for additional nutrient application.

Corn creates large quantities of crop residue that should be well processed after harvest. Mulching shortens and crushes crop residue. It contributes to easier crop residue incorporation into soil and faster decomposition. Mulching is an essential measure after corn harvest in the mechanical elimination of the European corn borer larvae hidden in the stalks.

Do you need advice, are you interested in demonstrating the machine? Contact us