Mykola Kostiuk, manager for agronomic support of the western region.
Today corn growing technology is not limited to applying macronutrients alone but also provides for microelements, in particular zinc, manganese, copper, boron, molybdenum and phytohormones. The value of microelements rises considerably under drought or periods of temperature swings, stress factors, or simply to replenish the needed content when their deficiency shows in plant nutrition.
To really get a return from foliar nutrition, it is important to apply this supplementary plant food correctly and skillfully, using leaf diagnostics and knowing the most important critical periods of crop growth and development when microelements are needed from the point of view of plant physiology and growth stages.
At our demo field at Mshanetske PJSC in Terebovlia district, Ternopil region, we used a foliar feeding scheme with microfertilizers from the Ecoorganic brand at the first important stage of corn growth (4–6 leaves), when generative organs are laid down and the main root system forms, and at 6–9 leaves, when vegetative mass actively grows with subsequent formation of ear length and kernel number. As a result, the yield obtained, depending on the hybrid of particular maturity groups, was 8.2–12.71 t/ha (diagram 1).
Diagram 1.
Hybrid yield at base moisture and harvest moisture
Foliar nutrition on all hybrids with Ecoline microfertilizers from the Ecoorganic brand:
4–6 leaf stage (30.05) – Gros Rootgrowth, 1 l/ha + Ecoline zinc chelate, 1 l/ha.
6–9 leaf stage (16.06) – Ecoline Corn, 2 l/ha + Ecoline Boron Premium, 1 l/ha.
Demo field technology:
sowing 26.04; harvest 17.10;
preceding crop winter wheat; ploughing 27–30 cm;
N130P78K78; density before harvest depending on maturity group 71–87 thousand/ha;
weak weed infestation; soil dark gray forest; pH 6.0; precipitation during the season 208 mm.
Responsible agronomist-consultant
Serhii Olkhovetskyi, 099-37-09-977
On another part of the field, on the plot of hybrid P8523 (Optimum AQUAmax, FAO 260), we set up a trial with different variants of foliar nutrition with Ecoorganic brand microfertilizers (diagram 2).
Diagram 2.
Yield of P8523 depending on foliar nutrition variants with Ecoorganic brand microfertilizers.
Schemes of foliar nutrition variants of P8523 with Ecoorganic brand microfertilizers. Control: no foliar nutrition.
Variant No. 1:
3–5 leaves – Ecoline Zn Chelate, 2 l/ha + Ecoline Phosphite K, 1 l/ha
6–9 leaves – Ecoline Corn Chelate, 1 l/ha + Gros Phosphito NP, 1 l/ha.
Variant No. 2:
3–5 leaves Ecoline Zn Chelate, 1 l/ha + Ecoline Phosphite K, 1 l/ha + Ecoline Universal Growth Amino, 1 l/ha
6–9 leaves Ecoline Corn Chelate, 1 l/ha + Gros Phosphito NP, 1 l/ha + Ecoline Boron Premium, 1 l/ha.
Variant No. 3:
3–5 leaves Ecoline Zn Chelate, 1 l/ha + Ecoline Phosphite K, 1 l/ha
+ Ecoline Universal Growth Amino, 1 l/ha + Gros Rootgrowth, 0.5 l/ha
6–9 leaves Ecoline Corn Chelate, 1 l/ha + Gros Phosphito NP,
1 l/ha + Ecoline Boron Premium, 1 l/ha + Gros Health, 0.5 l/ha.
The foliar nutrition trial showed a good response of P8523. Depending on the foliar application variants, the yield of P8523 rose from 4.8 to 13.48%. The maximum yield gain was 1.17 t/ha.
For technical questions on using Ecoorganic brand microfertilizers
we recommend contacting Hryhorii Pedan, 067-469-75-19.