onions, carrot, sweet corn, seeds, farmers, coating / agri-Saaten GmbH


Sweet-corn
	Genetic background Normal sweet corn Extra sweet varieties Sweet-gene-hybrids Cultivation Fertilization and water supply Plant stand Side shoots Weed control/pests and diseases Extension of the harvest period Early cultivation Harvest Cooling Preparation and marketing


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Fertilization and water supply As already mentioned in the paragraph "seed", sweet corn shows strong reactions on the temperature during the whole vegetation period. The best growth is observed 2 - 3 weeks before and 2 - 3 weeks after the formation of the panicles. Consequently, during this period the demand on water and nutritives is highest. Nitrogen (N):
	Due to the high production of mass in a relatively short time, the demand of nitrogen is very high. Especially on lighter soils about 150 - 180 kg pure nutrient should be given in individual doses. For later sowings 140 - 160 kg N/ ha may be sufficient, as the supply by the soil itself is accelerated by a more intensive mineralization due to higher soil temperatures. Doses for 150 kg pure nitrogen: 50 kg when the corn is sown (if necessary ground fertilization) 80 kg 4 -6 weeks after sowing 20 kg when the pistils appear A late fertilization with nitrogen, when the plant is blossoming, leads in many cases to a distinctly improved arrangement of grains.
Phosphorus (P2O5):
	Especially in earlier sowing periods on heavy, late warming soils a reddish or red colouration of the corn plants indicates a lack of phosphorus. When the rows are treated individually, aprox. 60 - 80 kg nutrient/ ha are usually sufficient. When the field is fertilized as a whole the quantity has to be increased to 120 - 150 kg. 1/3 of the phoshorus should be applied when the seeds are sown, the rest together with the second nitrogen fertilization about 4 - 6 weeks later. Symptoms of phosphorus deficiency disappear when the soil temperature rises.
Potash (K2O):
	Corn has a high need of potash. Depending on the situation of the soil, for the maintenance of a correct water supply 100 - 150 kg K2O/ ha, preferably combined with magnesium, have to be applied.
Micro nutrients and trace elements:
	Apart from a regular supply of zinc, there are no special demands. Zinc deficiency manifests in pale strips on the leaves and white colouration of the ear shoots in a very early state. Only on very acid or sandy soils it may come to magnesium deficiency. This can be prevented by the application of the corresponding potash fertilizer.