Summer corn flower grain management technology

The flowering stage of corn refers to the period from tasseling to maturity. During this time, vegetative growth has largely finished, and the plant shifts its focus to reproductive growth, including pollination and fertilization. This is a critical phase for yield formation, as it determines the number of kernels and their weight. The main goal of management during this stage is to strengthen the root system, protect the leaves, prevent early aging or excessive growth, extend the life of green leaves, avoid kernel abortion, and improve both the pollination rate and grain weight.

　　 1. Apply fertilizer appropriately. High-yield practices have shown that corn with large leaf areas and high photosynthetic efficiency can achieve better yields. Ensuring sufficient inorganic nutrients during the flowering stage is essential for healthy stalk development. Farmers should assess the field condition before applying fertilizer. If the plants are vigorous, with dark green leaves and no signs of decline, additional fertilizer may not be needed to avoid prolonging the growing period. However, if the plants appear weak, granular fertilizer should be added. It's typically applied just before or after the ear's flowering stage, using around 5 kg of urea or 10–15 kg of ammonium bicarbonate per acre. In cases where the crop lacks nutrients, foliar sprays such as 1–2% urea solution, 3–5% leach solution, or 0.1–0.2% potassium dihydrogen phosphate can help extend leaf function and increase the weight of 1,000 kernels by over 7%.

　　 2. Remove tassels in a timely manner. Removing male flowers reduces nutrient competition, directs energy to the ears, improves light penetration, enhances light utilization, lowers plant height, and increases resistance to lodging. It also helps remove pests like corn borers and aphids. This practice can increase yield by about 10%. Tassels should be removed before they fully emerge, but not too early to avoid damaging the leaves. Once the tassels start shedding pollen, removal becomes less effective. Farmers should not remove more than half the plants and avoid doing so on rainy or very hot days to prevent pollen deficiency, which could lead to barren kernels.

　　 3. Perform artificial pollination. This ensures proper pollination and fertilization, improves seed set, reduces barrenness, and promotes uniform grain development. It’s especially useful for late silking plants or weaker plots. Pollination is usually done at the end of the flowering period, between 9 and 11 am on sunny days. Collect pollen and apply it manually 2–3 times. Pay special attention to cross-pollinating different plants for best results.

　　 4. Ensure timely irrigation and drainage. Corn requires a lot of water during the flowering and grain-filling stages, accounting for about 50% of total water needs. Soil moisture should be kept at 70–80% of the field’s maximum water-holding capacity. Two key irrigation periods are important: one during flowering and kernel formation, and another during the milk stage to boost grain weight. Sandy soils need more frequent watering, while clay soils can be watered less often. If there is heavy rain, drainage should be ensured to avoid waterlogging.

　　 5. Remove weak or empty stalks. Some plants may not develop properly, leading to empty or small ears. These plants waste resources and reduce overall productivity. After pollination, remove these weak plants to concentrate nutrients on healthier ones, resulting in larger, more productive ears.

　　 6. Shallow cultivation and weeding. During the late grain-filling stage, perform shallow tillage to break up compacted soil, loosen the ground, and remove weeds. This promotes nutrient conversion and root absorption, prevents early aging, and improves grain quality. Be careful not to damage roots or cut leaves during the process.

　　 7. Control pests and diseases. Common pests include corn borers, armyworms, cotton bollworms, and aphids. Diseases like size spot and rust also affect crops. To manage corn borers, apply 50% DDVP insecticide at a rate of 20% directly to the base of the tassels. During the filling stage, use 50% DDVP or phoxim at 800–1000 times dilution to spray the ears. For armyworms and cotton bollworms, apply 50% phoxim at 1500 times dilution. For aphids, use 40% omethoate at 1500–2000 times dilution. Size spot can be controlled with 50% carbendazim or 70% thiophanate-methyl at 500 times dilution. Rust can be managed with 20% triadimefon EC at 100 ml per 75–50 kg of water.

　　 8. Harvest at the right time. Corn is ready for harvest when the leaves turn yellow, the kernels become hard, and the cob’s outer layer turns bright. A black layer appears at the junction of the kernel and cob, indicating maturity. If the leaves remain green and the growing season allows, delaying harvest by 5–7 days can further increase yield.

Source: Farmers Daily    Author: Chen Maochun

 

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