How to grow fruit corn?

How is fruit corn cultivated and managed? Let me tell you in detail today:

1. Selection of fruit corn varieties

Select varieties that are adaptable, disease-resistant, high-quality, high-yielding and have high commercial value.

2. Isolation planting of fruit corn

In order to ensure the edible quality of sweet corn, it is necessary to strictly isolate it from other common corn varieties when selecting a site for planting, so as to avoid the quality being reduced due to cross-pollination. Isolation methods: Spatial isolation and temporal isolation are used in production. Spatial isolation is preferred. 2.1 Spatial isolation requires that no other corn varieties be planted within 300 to 400 meters outside the planting area; if there are natural barriers such as trees and hills, the isolation distance can be appropriately shortened. 2.2 Temporal isolation: If spatial isolation is not possible, temporal isolation (staggered sowing period) should be adopted to avoid encountering the flowering period of other varieties. The sowing period interval of two different varieties is generally 20 to 25 days. If sweet corn is planted in large areas, the isolation standard can be appropriately lowered. In short, the principle is to prevent the two types of corn pollen from meeting.

3. Fine Land Preparation for Fruit Corn

Since the seeds of sweet corn (especially super sweet corn) are generally shrunken and small, germination, soil arching, and emergence are more difficult than ordinary corn seeds, so it is necessary to carefully raise seedlings and carefully prepare the land when planting, and choose a plot with loose soil, fertile soil, and convenient drainage and irrigation. After the previous crop is harvested, timely plowing 20 to 30 cm, combined with plowing, apply sufficient base fertilizer, generally 1000 to 1500 kg of organic fertilizer, 30 to 40 kg of superphosphate, 20 kg of potassium sulfate, 1 to 1.50 kg of zinc sulfate or 20 kg of corn-specific fertilizer per 667 square meters as base fertilizer.

4. Fruit corn sowing in stages

Sweet corn is mainly planted to sell fresh ears in the market or to supply factories for canned food processing, which is completely different from planting ordinary corn. At the same time, sweet corn cannot be stored for a long time after harvesting. Therefore, sweet corn should be planted in stages according to market demand and factory processing capacity and orders, and early, mid- and late-maturing varieties should be matched to improve economic benefits.

5. Precision sowing of fruit corn

Plant 3 to 4 seeds in each hole. After sowing, cover the soil in time and level the bed surface finely. The sowing depth is slightly shallower than that of ordinary corn. Generally, covering the soil with about 4 cm is enough to ensure full seedlings.

6. Reasonable density of fruit corn

Sweet corn is a commodity, so we should pay attention to the product characteristics of the ear and not just consider the yield. The ear is purchased in grades, especially for export or processing. We should try to increase the product rate of grade 1 and 2. We should determine the appropriate planting density based on commodity requirements and economic benefits, and try to get higher economic income per unit area. In general medium fertility soil, 4,000 plants/667㎡ is appropriate. Early-maturing varieties can be denser, and late-maturing varieties can be sparser.

7. Field Management of Fruit Corn

7.1 Thinning and transplanting

After the seedlings emerge, they should be checked and supplemented in time. When the seedlings have 3 to 4 leaves, they should be thinned out, and when they have 4 to 5 leaves, they should be transplanted. The principle of thinning out seedlings is to remove the large ones, remove the small ones, and leave the middle ones, so as to ensure that the seedlings in the whole field are uniform.

7.2 Apply fertilizer in stages and tillage in time

On the basis of applying enough basal fertilizer, apply topdressing early, apply ear fertilizer early and heavily, and ensure that the sweet corn plants grow green all the way. This is the key to the success of growing fresh corn, and it is also the main difference from the ordinary corn planting method. Generally, 30kg of urea is applied per 667m2, and 15kg is applied at the jointing stage and the large bell stage respectively. Each time the topdressing is applied, it should be applied as deep as possible. Each time the fertilizer is applied, loosen the soil, cultivate the soil, clear the ditches, and carry out inter-cultivation and weeding.

7.3 Drought-resistant watering

During the seedling stage and after heading and flowering, water should be applied in time if the weather is dry. The critical period for irrigation is from the time when the female ears produce silks to the harvest period. When the soil surface is dry, water should be applied in time to prevent missing grains at the top of the ears.

7.4 Assisted pollination

Under normal climatic conditions, corn can be pollinated and set fruit naturally, but under special climatic conditions, such as continuous rain or high temperature, or when the plant is weak, artificial pollination is required. Artificial pollination is usually done before 10 am. The pollination method is relatively simple, just gently place the pollen on the silk.

7.5 Integrated pest and weed control

7.5.1 Weed control. Usually, it can be combined with seedling fertilizer at the 3-4 leaf stage, shallow tillage and weeding; combined with ear fertilizer at the jointing stage. Deep tillage and weeding. It can also be sprayed with acetochlor herbicide before planting. 7.5.2 Disease and pest control. ① For the control of large and small spot diseases, use 500-1000 times of 400% Kefansan Emulsion or 500-800 times of 50% thiophanate-methyl suspoemulsion for foliar spraying; ② For the control of armyworms, use 2000-3000 times of 20% Sumisulfate Emulsion for spraying; ③ For the control of corn borers, use 50% thiophosphorus mixed with arsenopyrite and spread it in the field during the large trumpet stage; ④ For the control of red spiders, use 1000 times of 73% propargite Emulsion for spraying. ⑤ For the control of stem rot during the jointing-tasseling stage of corn, use carbendazim or DT to spray according to the specified amount. The best time for spraying is on a sunny morning after the dew has dried or between 4 and 6 p.m. It is prohibited to use highly toxic or high-residue pesticides or agents with "three-hazard" effects.

7.6 Timely detasseling

Emasculation can concentrate the limited water and nutrients in the plant for ear development. The harvested shoots are bright, fresh, and neatly arranged. Timely emasculation is the key to technical success. Emasculation too early can easily bring out the top leaves; emasculation too late can cause excessive nutrient consumption, making emasculation meaningless. Generally, it is best to emasculate corn shoots when the tassel is beyond the top and has not spread pollen; it is best to emasculate the tender ears of sweet corn 2 to 3 days after the tassel has spread pollen. The best time for emasculation is 8 to 9 am and 4 to 5 pm, which is conducive to wound healing. Within the appropriate period, emasculation is generally done once every 1 to 2 days, and it can be completed in 2 to 3 times.

7.7 De-earing

In order to produce high-quality, high-qualified ears, the excess spikelets must be removed, that is, only the largest ears are retained. Sweet corn has a small leaf area, so in order to ensure sufficient nutritional area, the tillers can be retained.

8. Harvest fruit corn at the right time

Generally, it is appropriate to harvest when the moisture content of the kernel is 66% to 71% (milky stage). In production practice, the harvest period of sweet corn has a great impact on its commodity quality and nutritional quality. If it is harvested too early, the kernel content is less and the taste is not very good; if it is harvested too late, the peel becomes hard and loses the unique flavor of sweet corn. Generally speaking, the appropriate harvest period is 17 to 23 days after silking; if it is for canning, it can be harvested 1 to 2 days earlier; if it is mainly for selling fresh ears, it can be harvested 1 to 2 days later, and the harvest period is about 6 days.