Corn varieties. The best varieties of corn and their description Late varieties of sweet corn
Corn came to us from the countries of Central America. Over a fairly short period of history, it fell in love with the peoples of Europe for its taste, low maintenance requirements and durability. The Aztecs knew corn for many centuries, which is why they selected many different forms. The most popular varieties in Russia have become varieties of sugar, tooth, flint and popping corn.
This is an annual plant, a cereal, with a straw height of up to 4 meters and with inflorescences in the form of cobs. It is monoecious, and at the top of the plant there is a plume of male flowers, from which pollen scatters in the wind, female flowers located on the cobs, after pollination, form a caryopsis, which is very strong, connected to the axis of the cob. Corn does not tolerate temperatures below +20 degrees and dies already at zero. The optimal temperature for plants is 21-25 °C. When planted crowded, it pollinates poorly and is quickly affected by diseases. For capping for the winter and eating in the form of boiled cobs, you need to grow varieties and hybrids of sweet corn.
Early varieties of corn: description of varieties
Early varieties They are good because they can produce a normal harvest even in a short time. They tolerate transplantation well and can be grown under agrofibre cover using ready-made seedlings in peat cups. The period from the first leaf to the first ear is 62 - 89 days.
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Trophy F1 is a corn hybrid that takes 75 days to form the first ear after sowing. It is required not to thicken the crops. Ripening is very early. The plant has an average height of up to two meters. The cob weighs up to 220 g, has a length of up to 23 cm and a diameter of up to 4.5 cm. The grain is golden. The harvest is good. Very sweet taste. Doesn't get rough for a long time. They are used not only for boiled consumption, but also for preservation. Resistant to diseases. To extend the period of harvesting young cobs, it is necessary to sow in several stages with a break of 10 days. |
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| Sugar F1- a hybrid of mid-early ripening. The growing season lasts 75 - 80 days. Plant height up to 180 cm. Ear of average length up to 20 cm and weighing about 225g. The grain is amber-golden in color and has an excellent taste. The grains are tender and sweet. They are used for various culinary purposes. The hybrid is resistant to smut and other corn diseases. Harvest up to 10 tons per hectare. |
Mid-season corn varieties: description of varieties
Mid-season varieties they take longer to ripen and are better able to tolerate short-term air drought. Among the varieties and hybrids, there are many representatives that have very sweet grain on the cob, which can not only be boiled, but also canned and frozen.
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 Delicatessen- the variety is small in height. The cob is up to 23 cm long, the grain is bright yellow. The taste is excellent and does not deteriorate when cooked or frozen. The variety is resistant to bladder smut. Well preserved. Productivity is good.
The taste of freshly cooked cobs is excellent. |
Late varieties of corn: description of varieties
Late varieties It takes many days for the crop to ripen. But these varieties are more resistant to unfavorable conditions. The grain is used in a variety of ways, including canning for the winter.
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| Russian bursting 3– this variety needs 95-98 days before the corn cob harvest ripens. The plant is of average height up to 185 cm. The cob weighs up to 256 g. The grains are yellow in color with an orange tip. Up to 98% of grains burst when exposed to high heat. Used to make popcorn and cereal. The taste of the finished products is good. The average grain yield is 30-42 kg per 10 square meters. Disease resistant. |
It was not for nothing that corn was called the “queen of fields” at a certain stage in the long-suffering history of our country. This is indeed a very valuable and useful product, but few people know that over more than five thousand years of history, humanity has developed a truly incredible number of varieties of this cereal (more than five hundred of them are registered in Russia alone!), differing in taste, color, ripening time, application and variety other parameters. Let's look at just a few of the most popular ones.
Latin name - Zea mays saccharata.
Sugar, sweet or, as it is also called, milk corn is, by far, the most common type of maize. The grains of this plant are yellow, the color can be more or less saturated, from white to orange. The younger the cob, the lighter its color. Since sweet maize grows almost all over the world and includes a huge variety of varieties and hybrids, it would be wrong to talk strictly about a specific shape of the grains: most often they are somewhat elongated, but they can also be almost round, pointed and even curved in the shape of a beak. The dimensions of the grains are approximately 2.2 x 1.7 cm. 
The main feature of the species, as you might guess from the name, is the very high sugar content. Depending on the variety and degree of ripeness, its amount ranges from 6-12%.
Important! Sugar corn cobs should always be harvested before they are fully ripe and should be cooked as quickly as possible. After the product sits for a while, the sugar in it gradually turns into starch, the cob becomes woody and becomes much less tasty. There are especially sweet varieties that, if not cooked immediately, turn into real rubber and are simply impossible to chew!
In general, this type of crop grows almost everywhere in the world where climatic conditions allow the cultivation of this heat-loving plant, but the ten countries with the highest rates in this area include:
- USA.
- People's Republic of China.
- Brazil.
- Argentina.
- Ukraine.
- India.
- Mexico.
- Indonesia.
- Republic of South Africa.
- Romania.
There are three main uses of sweet corn: - eating and preparing various dishes fresh;
- preparation in the form of canning or freezing;
- processing into flour.
Books can be written about the variety of varieties of sugar maize, in particular, among those varieties that are successfully grown in the middle zone, it would be worth mentioning:
- early hybrids(ripening period - 65-75 days) - “Dobrynya”, “Voronezhskaya 80-A”, “Early Zolotaya 401”, “Sundance” (“sun dance”) and “Super Sundance” (F1), “Spirit” (F1 ), “Creamy Nectar” (F1), “Mrelasses” (F1), “Trophy” (F1), “Sheba” (F1), “Legend” (F1), “Bloody Butcher”, “Honey-Ice Nectar”;
- mid-late hybrids(ripening period - 75-90 days) - “Divine Paper 1822”, “Merkur” (F1), “Bonus” (F1), “Megaton” (F1), “Challenger” (F1), “Krasnodarskaya”, “Krasnodarsky” sugar 250", "Donskaya tall", "Pioneer", "Boston" (F1), or "Syngenta";
- late hybrids(ripening period - 85-95 days) - “Ice Nectar”, “Triple Sweetness”, “Gourmand 121”, “Kuban Sugar”, “Athlete 9906770”, “Polaris”.
Important! It must be said that of the total volume of corn grown in the world, Zea mays saccharata accounts for just over half a percent, which in absolute figures is less than nine million tons! The bulk of the crops are allocated to feed and industrial varieties (for the production of starch, flour, cereals).
Waxy
The Latin name is Waxy Maize or Zea mays ceratina.
The color and shape of the grain can be different, yellow, white, red, but if in other varieties of maize with white grains, according to the standard, no more than two percent of admixture of other colors is allowed, then for the waxy variety the requirements are less stringent: the threshold is increased to 3%.
The waxiness trait is recessive, and therefore such corn can not only be planted next to other varieties, but also prevent grains from mixing during harvesting and storage. Initially, this variety was formed as a result of a random mutation, when, due to a change in some external conditions, the recessive wx gene appeared in the plant. For the first time such a mutation was recorded in China, but with climate change it is increasingly occurring in other regions. 
In 1908, grains of this species were sent from China to the USA by Reformed Church volunteer J. Farnham, but were never widely used: unfortunately, like all natural mutations, waxy corn exhibits much less viability compared to other varieties of maize, more often dies and produces smaller yields.
The main feature of waxy corn is the double layer of tissue surrounding the embryo (endosperm), which is why the grain appears transparent, as if covered with a layer of wax. Inside, this tissue has a mealy structure, which gives the starch of such corn completely unique properties.
Due to breeding problems, waxy corn is not grown on as large a scale as, for example, dent corn. The main area of its industrial production is the People's Republic of China.
The main purpose of waxy corn is the production of starch, the composition and qualities of which are the main advantage of this type. Thus, in all types of maize, the starch consists of amylopectin and amylose in a ratio of approximately 7:3, while in Waxy Maize there is almost 100% amylopectin. Due to this, this variety produces the most sticky flour. 
Did you know? American scientists from the state of Illinois, Hatfield and Braman, conducted a series of experiments on the influence of fodder corn varieties on the development of farm animals and came to surprising conclusions: when replacing regular maize with waxy maize, the daily weight gain of lambs and cows was significantly improved even with lower feed costs, while as other animals (including pigs) did not show a particularly positive reaction to such a replacement.
Interestingly, waxy corn starch can be easily distinguished from other types of corn starch by performing a simple iodine test. The product obtained from Waxy Maize will give the potassium iodide solution a brown tint, while starch from other varieties will tint the solution blue.
The number of Waxy Maize varieties is quite limited, and the differences between them are not too great. So, among the most popular varieties of this species are Strawberry, Oaxacan Red and Mother of Pearl. All of them belong to mid-season varieties, but Zemlyanichnaya ripens a little earlier than Oaxan and Perlamutr. Comparative characteristics of the varieties are given in the table.
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It must be said that all three of the above varieties have excellent taste, so they can be consumed boiled, and not just used for extracting starch.
Dentoform
Latin name - Zea mays indentata. 
It is distinguished by large grains, usually yellow in color, long and flat in shape. The tissue surrounding the embryo has a different structure in different areas of the surface: in the middle and on top of the grain it is loose and mealy, and on the sides it is hard. When the grain ripens, a characteristic depression appears in its center at the top, resembling a tooth in shape (hence the name).
A distinctive feature of the species is also its very high yield (especially compared to Waxy Maize) and high survival rates. The plant is formed tall, strong and very stable. In addition to a large amount of grain, it also produces excellent silage volumes.
Important! Dental corn is considered the most economically profitable variety of maize, so all the countries producing this type of grain listed above do not ignore Zea mays indentata.
The United States remains the world leader in the production of dent corn. 
The areas of use of Zea mays indentata are the most extensive:
- consumption;
- obtaining starch, flour, grain;
- feed for farm animals;
- alcohol production.
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Siliceous (Indian)
Latin name - Zea Mays indurate. The grain shape is round, the top is convex, the structure is glossy and smooth. Color may vary. The endosperm is hard over the entire surface, except for the center, and powdery-loose in the middle.
A special feature of this variety is its very high starch content, but here it is in solid form. Like the dent varieties, Zea Mays indurate is very productive and hardy, but compared to the previous category, flint corn matures much faster. A distinctive feature of Indian varieties is also the absence of a characteristic depression at the top of the grain.
Zea Mays indurate is grown throughout the world, but the main producer is the United States of America, with this variety being cultivated mainly in the northern part of the country.
Did you know? They say that the first corn that came to Europe was of the Zea Mays indurate variety. And it received the name “Indian” because Columbus brought it from America, which, as you know, the great traveler mistakenly mistook for India.
The main area of application of siliceous corn is the production of grain (cereals, flakes, etc.). However, in its unripe form it has excellent taste and is quite sweet. It is worth paying attention to the following varieties of Indian maize:
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Starchy (mealy, soft)
Latin name - Zea Mays Amylacea. The shape of the grain is round, strongly flattened, the tip is convex, the surface is smooth, but not shiny. The head itself is thin, but the grains are large. Color white or yellow.
Check out the best corn varieties.
The peculiarity of this variety is the high (up to 80%) content of soft starch, the tissue enveloping the embryo is mealy over the entire surface, soft. There is little protein in this corn. As a rule, it ripens late, but it reaches high growth and gains abundant green mass. 
Grown in South America, as well as in the southern United States, it is almost never found outside America. The main area of application is flour production(due to soft starch, this type of maize is very easy to industrially process). In addition, mealy corn is used to make molasses and flour, and is also used to produce alcohol. It is also very tasty when boiled.
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Bursting
Latin name - Zea mays everta. 
According to the shape of the head of cabbage, Zea mays everta comes in two types: rice and pearl barley. The first variety is distinguished by a pointed end of the cob, while the second has a rounded end. The color can be different - yellow, white, red, dark blue and even striped.
A distinctive feature of the species is its high protein content and grain structure. The tissue surrounding the embryo is hard, like glass, and very thick, only in the immediate vicinity of the embryo is there a loose layer. It is this structure of the grain that causes it to burst in a characteristic way when heated, breaking the skin under the pressure of water evaporating inside the fruit. 
As a result of the “explosion,” the endosperm turns outward, turning the grain into a white lump of a mealy structure, several times larger in size than a regular corn grain. Popping corn typically has smaller heads than other types of maize, and the kernels themselves are much smaller.
Zea mays everta is produced on an industrial scale in the USA, but recently other countries have begun to pay attention to this species, thanks to the growing popularity of popcorn.
The main purpose of this type of corn is, of course, the production of air flakes. However, it is quite possible to produce flour or cereals from these varieties.
Among the most popular varieties of Zea mays everta are the following: “Miracle Shishka” (yellow and red, the first refers to the rice variety, the second to pearl barley), “Mini Striped”, “Red Arrow”, “Vulcan”, “Lopai-Lopai” ", "Zeya". Their main characteristics are given below. 
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In Russia, varieties of popping corn such as Oerlikon and Dneprovskaya 925 are grown.
Membranous
Latin name - Zea mays tunicata.
This is perhaps the least common type of corn. The color and shape of the grain differs little from the cobs that are familiar to our eyes, but its characteristic feature is the presence of specific scales that cover the grain. Breeders testify that this feature is imparted to maize by the tu gene, which appears in the phenotype.
Did you know? The birthplace of chaffy corn appears to be South America; in any case, its first samples were discovered in Paraguay at the beginning of the 19th century. There is a version that the ancient Incas used this plant in their religious rites.
Due to its structural features, Zea mays tunicata cannot be eaten; for this reason, this type of corn is not produced on an industrial scale. In addition to South America, the plant is found in Africa and is used mainly as pet food. Due to its obvious uselessness, breeding work is not being carried out on this type of maize, so there is no need to talk about individual varieties.
So, the concept of “corn” is much broader and more diverse than a sweet yellow cob lovingly boiled at home or bought on a Black Sea beach in August. This cereal is used to produce starch and flour, it is pressed into oil, it is used to make alcohol and even biogas (not to mention popcorn), it is fed to poultry and other farm animals, including cattle - and for each of these purposes there are their own, specially bred varieties.
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Corn is the queen of the fields, its yellow cobs with grains that look like little suns, reminiscent of summer, the sea coast, where from morning to evening street vendors offer sweet boiled corn of different varieties with honey baklava.
They also grow it in garden plots and not only to enjoy in the summer, but also for freezing and preserving for the winter.
Corn takes third place after grain and rice in the ranking of food and agricultural products. It is rightfully considered a grain crop. After all, she feeds not only people, but also animals. Breeders are developing new types of seeds, paying special attention to the sugar content of the cobs and increased yield.
Let's look at the 10 best corn species.
Bonduelle
Bonduelle corn varieties does not exist. This is the name of a company that produces various canned vegetables and frozen vegetables.
Sweet corn under the Bonduelle brand is especially popular on the Russian market. The main trading facilities of the Bonduelle-Kuban company in Russia are located in the Krasnodar Territory.
Varieties of sweet corn are grown in the southern steppe expanses Spirit and Bonus, used to make the much-loved canned food.
Dobrynya is a vegetable early ripening period, the first harvest is ready for harvesting in 2-2.5 months after seed germination. The medium-sized plant reaches a height of up to 1.7 m; cobs begin to form at a height of 0.7 m.
Dobrynya refers to very sweet sugar varieties of corn. The cobs reach sizes of 25*5.5 (diameter and width) and consist of 16-18 rows of grains.
Harvesting for fresh consumption, preservation and freezing is carried out in the milky ripeness phase. For processing grain into cereals, flour, and starch, heads of cabbage are collected after the cobs have yellowed and dried out.
It is unpretentious to growing conditions, quite resistant to diseases such as mosaic, wilting, and rust.
Gourmet variety early the ripening period, from the moment the seeds emerge until the first product is obtained, only 75-80 days. Plant height is from 1.45 m to 1.8 m.
The fruits grow up to 22 cm long, the number of rows in the cob is 18-20. The weight of sweet juicy fruits reaches 170-250 gr. The grains are bright yellow and have an elongated shape.
It is valued for its excellent taste, which is preserved after processing into canned food and freezing. Gourmand is high-yielding a variety of corn that is highly resistant to downy mildew.
This type of corn is a plant early ripening period – 90 days. The low vigor hybrid is well resistant to fungal diseases.
The cobs are small, reaching a length of 19 cm, juicy with a pleasant melting consistency of cooked grains. Used for preservation and freezing.
Hybrid average ripening period, the period from the emergence of seedlings to the receipt of marketable products is 90-100 days. The plant is up to 2.1 m high, the size of the cobs reaches a length of 22 cm. The grains are large, golden yellow, very sweet and delicate in taste.
Stable high-yielding and productive Spirit is resistant to fungal, viral diseases and rot. The hybrid is used boiled and is suitable for preservation.
To extend the period of obtaining marketable products, seedlings of early varieties can be planted with a shift of 10-15 days.
Ice hectare belongs to the varieties late fruiting period( 130-140 days). The plant is up to 1.8 m high and has cobs 20-25 cm long. The grains are white-cream in color, juicy and very sugary.
Ice Hectare is one of the sweetest among all varieties and hybrids. It can even be consumed raw. Hybrid is leader in yield.
To avoid loss of sugar content of the grains, the hybrid must be planted separately from other varieties, eliminating cross-pollination of plants.
Sundance
Sundance is a variety with early maturation period ( 70-90 days). The low-growing plant reaches a height of no more than 1.5 m. The diameter of the cobs is 5.5 cm, the length is no more than 20 cm. Bright yellow, slightly elongated grains of medium size and good taste.
The hybrid is used for fresh consumption (cooking) and preservation.
Pioneer corn is a variety average ripening period. The period for receiving the first products is 100-110 days. The plant is resistant to unfavorable growing conditions, which do not affect its yield.
Corn of this variety is used for agricultural purposes and is used for livestock feed: grain and silage.
Syngenta hybrid average ripening period ( up to 110 days). The Dutch hybrid is characterized by high productivity and yield. Resistance to diseases is high.
The height of corn reaches 1.8 m. Cobs up to 20 cm in size are filled with pale yellow grains in 16-18 rows. Ears of milk ripeness are juicy and tender. Recommended for fresh consumption.
To obtain products at an earlier date, it is recommended to grow under agrofibre.
Jubilee is a high-yielding hybrid average ripening period ( 80-100 days). The tall plant can reach a height of 2.5-2.8 m, the cobs are densely packed with pearl-yellow grains up to 23 cm long. The grains have a thin skin and a delicate sweet taste.
High yielding, a disease-resistant, general-purpose variety. Suitable for both cooking and canning, behaves well after defrosting.
Features of cultivation
- They only grow corn in well-lit, sunny areas. To obtain good harvests with high quality cobs, the soil must be fertile, well fertilized and slightly acidic.
- Sowing of seeds is carried out at soil temperature not less than +10 degrees. The depth of seed placement in the soil is 6-8 cm. To obtain earlier production, the plant is grown through seedlings, with the seeds sown in March or April.
- After 3-4 leaves of the plant appear thin out, leaving up to 0.5-0.7 m between plants.
- It is necessary to hill up the plants to prevent them from lodging.
- Harvesting occurs when the cobs reach milky or milky-wax ripeness.
Do not deny yourself the pleasure of growing these “rays of sunshine” on your site.
In addition to the fact that you will enjoy eating corn, it is also a natural support for climbing plants: cucumbers, climbing beans.
When choosing plants for our garden, we try to choose not only the most productive varieties, but also the most delicious ones, in order to please ourselves and our family. Corn is not only not an exception, but, perhaps, the banner of this rule. In this article we will look at the varieties and best varieties of corn, how to grow grain and care for the crop, and also find out what kind of variety “Bonduelle” is.
Corn is an annual herbaceous plant, often tall with a stem up to 3 m. The main agricultural purpose of growing this crop is cobs and edible grains. The plant has a developed multi-tiered root system. The leaves are large, reach 10 cm in width, and often grow up to 1 m in length. The culture loves warmth, tolerates drought well, and does not grow well in the shade. The growing season takes from 65 to 150 days. Corn blooms approximately on the 60th day (depending on the variety), reaching the stage of milky ripeness on the 70-80th day.
The nutritional value is difficult to underestimate: cobs contain vitamins B, C, E, in addition to potassium, fluorine, phosphorus, calcium, iodine, boron, iron, that is, all the elements necessary for a healthy human body. There is also a high content of fats and proteins, which are several times higher than the amount of these elements in other grain crops. Calorie content of 100 g of corn grains is 85.7 kcal.
The crop can be grown either using grain, from which seeds are obtained after processing, or by first growing seedlings.
Subspecies of common corn
Types of corn shine with variety: flint, tooth-like, popping, starchy, waxy, sugar, filmy. Hybrids of the crop are numerous and combine the key characteristics of different species.
Den corn has a large, slightly elongated and flat grain. The grain is covered with a hard shell on the sides, but the center and upper part are mealy and loose. Of all the varieties, it is the tooth-shaped one that is most often planted in garden plots. The seeds are used not only for planting next year, but also to create cereals, alcohol, animal feed, and flour. It is also grown for silage.
Flint corn has a round, smooth grain. The shell of the grains is horn-shaped, powderiness is noted only in the center. This is the most common species in the world. Silica is grown for grain for the production of cereals, flour, flakes, and everyone’s favorite corn sticks.
Starchy is most common in South and North America. Plants of this variety are usually medium-sized, late-ripening. Their grain is round, smooth, and loose. This species is mainly grown to create alcohol and starch.
Waxy corn is a modification of the dent varieties and is characterized by a two-layer shell. It was the external resemblance to a drop of wax that served as the name of the species, but in terms of strength this shell is close to the bursting variety. The inside is mealy and contains a large amount of amylopectin, which is sticky.
One of the most popular varieties is bursting. This is what makes crispy, flavorful popcorn. The grain comes in rice and pearl barley forms, has a high specific gravity, and powderiness is observed only near the germ.
Sweet corn has a high content of saccharides and is highly valued throughout the world for its tenderness. Their shell is thin and contains a minimal amount of starch, which is why the grain shrinks when dried. By the way, everyone’s favorite “Bonduelle” mainly consists of various varieties of sweet corn.
And finally, the rarest variety due to its uselessness is filmy corn. It is characterized by the abundant growth of spikelet scales, which cover the grain with a shell. It is not used on the farm.
Red corn (also known as “black corn” in some regions) is a type of maize that came to us from the depths of Peru. Its grain, which is used both as food and as seeds, is dark burgundy, almost black, due to anthocyanins. Cultivated in Peru, black corn has many beneficial properties due to its high amount of antioxidants. Black corn is often included in the diet menu to improve metabolism in the human body.
Sweet corn varieties
Varieties of sweet corn are very diverse, characterized by high yields and often a short growing season. It is from them, as noted earlier, that the products are made, which many mistakenly consider to be the “Bonduelle” variety.
Dobrynya corn has an incredibly sweet taste and large cobs. Early ripening helps to be among the first to receive juicy cobs and either eat them on the spot or send them for processing. The bush grows up to 170 cm in height, is unpretentious to the type of soil, and has increased resistance to mosaic, rust and wilting.
Another variety distinguished by its sweet grain structure is Lakomka 121. The variety is distinguished by its high yield, increased immunity to most diseases, and a short growing season. Having reached the stage of milky ripeness, the cobs of this variety are very tasty both boiled and canned.
Early Golden 401 is a low-growing variety with an average growing season. The cobs grow up to 19 cm long and are consumed at the stage of milk ripeness. Moreover, the variety as a whole is resistant to most fungal and bacterial diseases.
When describing corn varieties, one cannot ignore Spirit F1. This variety is one of those that is convenient to grow through seedlings - it gives a harvest within 2 months after planting in open ground. Spirit grain has a high sugar content, which makes it one of the sweetest varieties. The cobs reach 20 cm in length.
But numerous brands of canned corn “Bonduelle”, “Vernet”, “Eco” actually use in production not a specific variety of corn, but a mixture of different varieties.
popping corn
A favorite treat for movie theatergoers, popcorn is made from popping corn kernels. The low starch content, but at the same time the high content of fats, proteins and a strong but thin shell make it possible for each grain to “explode” slightly when heated. The fact is that the shell does not crack immediately, but allows moisture to be pumped inside, fluffing the pulp outward when critical pressure is reached.
The Vulcan variety is one of the best, whose grain is suitable for making popcorn. The bush grows up to 2 m, and the cobs up to 22 cm. The grains are yellow, rice. The variety exhibits high resistance to diseases and weather conditions.
The Lopai-Lopai variety is mid-early with yellow grains and cobs up to 21 cm long, grows up to 1.7 m in height, and is characterized by good disease resistance.
The Zeya variety is the same red corn that is so loved in Peru. The bush grows up to 1.8 m, the cobs up to 20 cm. In dry weather, the early-ripening variety becomes similar to a species very close in its area of origin called black corn.
Features of care
It doesn’t matter how you planted the crop - through seeds or seedlings, caring for it is the same. After rain or watering, you need to loosen the soil so that the roots receive enough oxygen. It is imperative to remove weeds from the garden bed. These two points of care clearly show why the wild variety of corn does not grow large, sweet, and is rarely suitable for food.
After the phase of 5-8 leaves, stepsons will appear on the stem, which must be removed so as not to slow down the growing season of the plant. It is imperative to thin out the seedlings in the first weeks of the corn’s life in the garden in order to grow only the strongest sprouts, which will produce a larger harvest.
Also, corn hybrids respond well to organic and mineral fertilizers, so do not skimp on manure, potassium, phosphorus, and nitrogen for the beds. And then you will grow corn that will taste as good as the Bonduelle product.
Video “The best variety of corn for the middle zone”
Corn is one of the oldest agricultural crops. Growing corn is superior to almost all grain crops in terms of grain yield and green mass. Corn grain is a good and economically profitable feed for all types of livestock and poultry. In terms of feed value, its kilogram replaces 1.3-1.4 kg of oats and 1.1-1.2 kg of barley, and if you consider that corn is 2-3 times more productive, then the advantages become even more obvious.
Corn grain contains 65-70% carbohydrates, 9-12% protein, 4-5% fat, 1.5% ash, 13% water and only about 2% fiber. It also contains vitamins A, B1, B2, B6, E, C, essential amino acids, mineral salts and trace elements. Yellow corn contains a lot of carotene (on average from 3.2 to 9 mg), which plays an important role in increasing the productivity of farm animals.
The leafy mass of corn, harvested when the grain is fully ripe, is a roughage whose nutritional value is almost as good as that of barley and oat straw: 100 kg contains 37 feed units. It is advisable to use green, well-leafed corn stalks in the diet of dairy cattle.
During the summer-autumn period, young leafy stalks of corn, as well as cobs in the phase of milky-wax ripeness, are fed fresh to farm animals. Cattle readily eat green stems and unripe cobs, while pigs, rabbits and poultry eat mainly grain.
Features of corn agricultural technology
The current level of corn selection and agricultural technology makes it possible to solve the problem of significantly increasing grain production, taking into account the experience of world production of this crop and local natural conditions.
What are the features of growing corn for grain on a personal plot? Let's look at individual elements of the technological process in more detail.
On a personal plot, corn should not be sown after predecessors, which dry out the soil too much or leave the area very overgrown with weeds. Good predecessors are potatoes, vegetables and fodder root crops. In the Forest-Steppe, corn is often sown after perennial grasses, in the Steppe - and after winter crops.
As the period of non-replacement increases, the incidence of crop diseases increases significantly. Avoid planting after millet to prevent the spread of a common pest, the corn borer.
This culture is quite demanding in terms of nutritional conditions. Experiments have established that to obtain 100 kg of corn grain you need 3.4 kg of nitrogen, 1.5 kg of phosphorus, 3.6 kg of potassium chloride. To “digest” this entire plant, you will need more than 50 kg of water, 70 kg of oxygen and 210 kg of carbon dioxide. Fertilizers play an important role in the economical use of moisture by plants.
Organic (400−500 kg of manure per 100 m2) should be applied during plowing or digging to a depth of 22−25 cm. Corn is fed with chicken manure (5 kg per 10 m2) when the plants reach a height of 30−40 cm. During feeding, it is advisable to apply 3−5 kg of humus, 2−3 kg of ash per 10 m². It is best to fertilize crops soon after rain.
Both early and late sowing dates lead to a decrease in plant productivity. Seeds sown in cold soil that have not acquired physical ripeness germinate slowly and are significantly affected by fungal diseases and pests. Delay in sowing increases the risk of damage to corn by autumn frosts.
Sow grain in holes or rows to a depth of 4-6 cm on structural soils and 3-4 cm on poorly ventilated soils. The row spacing is 70 cm, the distance between grains in a row is 15-24 cm (two grains per nest). You should sow at least three rows, otherwise the heads of cabbage will be small-grained, since little pollen will fall on the columns of female inflorescences. For early ripening hybrids, the row spacing can be reduced from 70 to 45−50 cm by sowing the same number of grains, that is, increasing the distance between plants in a row to 24−37 cm. To obtain the optimal number of plants, you need to sow 10−20% more seeds .
Corn begins to germinate at soil temperatures of 8−9°C. At an average daily temperature of 11-12°C, seedlings appear on the 14th-22nd day, at 18-19°C - on the 7th-9th. Plants can withstand light frosts - down to minus 1 °C, and die at minus 2 °C. When breaking through the corn in the 3-4 leaf phase, the most developed plants are left on the site so that their quantity is optimal at the beginning of harvesting.
The most productive corn hybrids
The valuable qualities of hybrids can be fully used only when first-generation seeds, grown in compliance with all seed production rules, are sown annually on personal plots.
Titan 220 SV. Mid-early. Plants are 215−230 cm high. The cob is cylindrical, 18−21 cm long. The grain is flint-tooth-like, yellow. Resistant to lodging. Remontant. Withstands thickened sowing - up to 100 plants per 10 m². A unique combination of early ripeness with ecological plasticity and high productivity. Produces 110-130 kg of grain per hundred square meters.
Bershad. Mid-early. Plant height 220−240 cm. Ear 20−22 cm long. Slightly conical in shape. The grain is tooth-like, yellow-orange in color. Resistant to lodging. Density at the time of ripening - 80 plants per 10 m². Grain yield is 90-110 kg per hundred square meters. Recommended for growing for grain.
Flint 200 SV. Mid-early. Plants 200−210 cm high. Ear 17−18 cm long. Grain of siliceous type, orange. Used for food needs (for making flour and cereals). Resistant to smut. The optimal density for the period harvested for grain is 80−85 plants per 10 m². Productivity is 90−100 kg of grain per hundred square meters. Suitable for growing for grain in the Forest-Steppe zone.
Experimental data indicate that each hybrid must have a certain plant density. The late-ripening it is, the lower the density. Both thickening and sparseness of crops lead to a decrease in yield. In the Steppe zone and its subzones, the density for mid-early hybrids is 30-45 plants per 10 m², mid-season - 25-40, late-ripening - 25-35 plants per 10 m². In the Forest-Steppe, the desired density of early-ripening hybrids is 55-80 plants, mid-early - 55-70, mid-late - 40-50.
Rules of care
Proper care of crops guarantees a high harvest. It is well known how much damage weeds cause. If a corn plant consumes 250−400 kg of water from the soil to create 1 kg of dry matter, then weeds such as white pigweed and amaranth consume 800−1200 kg. In addition to moisture, weeds use a huge amount of nutrients. To create better conditions for plant growth during the growing season, the soil between the rows is loosened with hoes and the weeds are watered at the same time.
In the list of measures on which the harvest largely depends, the protection of plants from pests and diseases is of great importance. During the growing season, the greatest danger to the future corn harvest is: diseases - bladder smut, helminthosporiosis, rust; Pests include wireworms, Swedish flies, fall armyworms and corn borers, as well as rodents such as voles and hamsters.
During storage, corn is damaged by grain moths and granary weevils.
Wireworms are very harmful to early crops, and bubbly smut and helminthosporiosis are very harmful to late crops. Timely destruction of weeds in crops reduces the number of pathogens. Bladder smut is common in all regions, but it causes especially great harm in the Steppe. The fight against this disease consists primarily of destroying the source of infection - selecting healthy seed cobs.
Fusarium and mold fungi develop on grains damaged by moths. It is completely undesirable to leave the corn harvest unharvested until late autumn, because the grain quickly loses its sowing qualities with increasing humidity and the onset of frost, and during rainy weather the heads of corn are affected by various fungal diseases, which reduces their feed value.
How to harvest correctly?
Corn is harvested for grain at the time of full ripeness, when the plant stems turn yellow, the wrappers and leaves dry out, and the grain becomes shiny and hard. Humidity at this time is, depending on the growing zone, 16−26%. Before this phase, the accumulation of assimilates ends, as evidenced by the black layer (black dot) between the grain and the place where it is attached to the core of the head of cabbage.
The corn, cut and bundled, is dried. Then the heads of cabbage are broken off and the sheaves are transferred to the stack. It is best to dry the heads of cabbage in sunny weather in the yard in one row or in the attic or other room. After drying to a moisture content of no more than 14%, they can be ground and stored in grain.
Corn is dioecious and cross-pollinated. Its light and dry pollen can be carried by the wind over long distances. According to literary data, one brush throws about 15-20 million pollen grains into the air during flowering.
During harvesting in personal plots, in the cobs of one corn hybrid, you can find individual grains that differ in color and structure from others. For example, among yellow ones there are almost white, blue and even black ones, among white ones there are red or brown ones. Among the siliceous ones there are tooth-like ones, and in the sugar ones there are siliceous ones. Such grains are called xenium (xenia is a manifestation of the characteristics of the parent plant in hybrid seeds and fruits).
The presence of xenium grains on the cobs of the mother hybrid in the year of pollination indicates that, as a result of violation of isolation rules or varietal contamination of the seed material, partial cross-pollination of this hybrid with pollen other than its own occurred.
Consequently, only by carefully completing all agrotechnical measures provided for by the technology can high and sustainable yields be obtained. On a personal plot, taking into account weather conditions and soil characteristics, 80-120 kg of grain are obtained per hundred square meters. Don’t forget to set aside space in your garden for valuable grain crops. She deserves it.
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