What Fertilizers are Needed When Corn Flowers and Fruits?

To achieve high yields, fertilization techniques are crucial for corn. Proper fertilization management at the right time can enhance nutrient absorption and rapid growth, leading to a significant increase in corn yield. Below, let's discuss what fertilizers are needed when corn flowers and fruits.

What fertilizers are needed when corn flowers and fruits?

1. The fertilization needed when corn flowers and fruits depends on the nature of the soil. For low-lying and alkaline soils, acidic or physiologically acidic fertilizers such as ammonium nitrate, ammonium sulfate, calcium superphosphate should be used as top dressing. Acidic soils should use alkaline fertilizers such as urea, ammonium bicarbonate. For sandy loam soils with poor water and fertilizer retention capabilities, less volatile ammonium nitrate or urea should be used as top dressing.

2. Fertilization period required for corn growth:

1. Base Fertilization: Apply 2000-3000 kilograms of organic fertilizer, all phosphorus fertilizer, 1/3 nitrogen fertilizer, and all potassium fertilizer as base fertilizer or seed fertilizer. Combine plowing and ridging to apply once into the sowing furrow, so that the fertilizer is applied to the plow layer at 10-15 centimeters deep. All fertilizers can be used as base fertilizer.

2. Seed Fertilization: Use 2-5 kilograms of chemical fertilizer. However, the fertilizer must be separated from the seeds, and deep fertilization is better, with a depth of 10-15 centimeters being appropriate. Urea, ammonium bicarbonate, ammonium chloride, potassium chloride should not be used as seed fertilizer.

3. Top Dressing: Top dressing is divided into four periods: seedling fertilizer, stem fertilizer, ear fertilizer, and grain fertilizer. The following two periods are emphasized: apply stem fertilizer within 10 days after tasseling to promote stem growth and stimulate ear differentiation. Apply 1/3 of the nitrogen fertilizer as stem fertilizer, combined with hoeing, with a distance of 5-7 centimeters between the fertilizer and the seedlings. Apply the remaining nitrogen fertilizer as ear fertilizer 10-15 days before male flowering to effectively promote ear size and grain filling in the later stage.

3. Considerations for top dressing:

1. Soil Inspection: Top dressing should be determined by the nature of the soil. For low-lying and alkaline soils, acidic or physiologically acidic fertilizers such as ammonium nitrate, ammonium sulfate, calcium superphosphate should be used as top dressing; acidic soils should use alkaline fertilizers such as urea, ammonium bicarbonate. For sandy loam soils with poor water and fertilizer retention capabilities, less volatile ammonium nitrate or urea should be used as top dressing.

2. Assessment: Due to differences in soil quality, fertilizers, and water conditions, although the same variety is planted simultaneously, the growth varies, with some plots having strong seedlings and others weak ones. Therefore, there should be differences in top dressing. The specific method is: apply chemical fertilizers to plots with strong seedlings; in addition to applying chemical fertilizers, apply well-rotted human feces and cake fertilizers to plots with weak seedlings. For weak seedlings in plots with strong seedlings, they should be given extra feeding, and more top dressing should be applied to promote rapid recovery of weak seedlings. Cultivation should be done promptly after top dressing.

3. Fertilizer Application: Currently, nitrogen fertilizers are mainly used for top dressing in corn. After nitrogen fertilizers are applied to the soil, they quickly decompose into nitrate nitrogen, ammonium nitrogen, and amide nitrogen, and exist in free form. If the soil is shallow after top dressing, nitrogen will reach the surface layer, and corn plants can only absorb about 20%. If applied at a depth of about 10 centimeters and covered and compacted in time, the absorption rate can reach over 60%. To avoid fertilizer waste, shallow application, visible application, or application with water should be avoided.

4. Timing: Top dressing should not be too early during the seedling stage to facilitate the thickening and strengthening of corn seedlings; during the formation of male and female ears, top dressing should not be too late to prevent premature defoliation; late-stage top dressing should be timely and appropriate to prevent late-stage overgrowth.

5. Soil Type: Sandy soils, especially sandy soils, should not be heavily fertilized at once but should be fertilized in stages to reduce leaching and volatilization losses. Deep fertilization is necessary.

Above is the introduction to what fertilizers are needed when corn flowers and fruits. Depending on the actual situation, fertilization can be applied timely to promote its growth and development, make the grains plump, and increase yield.