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Little starch in dry corn
The average quality of maize this year is disappointing compared to previous years. That is the unsurprising result after analyzing the first maize silages.
Now every year the first results are less good than those of the later sampled maize silages. This is because in other years it often concerns maize harvested too early and therefore not ripe. This year it is mostly about maize that has been harvested (partially) for emergency ripening. In addition, the dry matter content of the first sampled maize silages is clearly higher than in other years, which makes these maize variety silages more susceptible to forcing.
Season 2022: a lot of plant, little flask
In contrast to the other very dry year 2018, in which it became very dry from mid-June, the worst drought this year occurred from the beginning of July. As a result, there was still sufficient moisture present during the so-called shooter phase. The shooter phase is the growth phase between the 6-leaf stage and panicle formation. As a result, corn has grown to a size that we are used to from corn on most plots.
However, the severe drought in July and August did not result in adequate cob development. The subsequent very high temperatures in August and September gave the final blow to maize, especially on sandy soil, as a result of which a lot of maize became prematurely ripe and in some cases was already harvested in August. A relatively large amount of residual plant mass in combination with a low cob share after harvesting this maize is the cause of the poorer nutritional value.
Chopping higher
A simple way to achieve a higher feed value per kilogram of dry matter is to chop the maize higher. This year too, several growers did this. For every 10 centimeters higher chopping, this results in an average increase of 10 grams of starch per kilogram of dry matter. Harvesting maize as MKS yields an even higher nutritional value, but it turned out not always be possible in corn that matures. Moreover, the desire for sufficient roughage this year was greater on many farms. Nevertheless, it is soon possible to make up for a possible shortage of roughage (read: crude fiber) from outside the company and to harvest the maize on the company's own farm more in the form of concentrates.
Choose drought-tolerant maize varieties in 2023
KWS has been researching the drought tolerance of maize varieties for years. Selection for this is of course best done under dry growing conditions. Possibly due to climate change, four of the past five growing seasons have been dry to very dry. What a practicing grower is obviously less happy with, the breeders of maize varieties have been able to take advantage of this. In the Benelux, the trial field experience, but also the experience in practice, especially for the maize varieties GENIALIS, ARTURELLO en CAMILLO delivered positive results. Positive experience in the sense of a significantly higher yield, nutritional value and residual plant health.
In addition to variety choice and chop height, cultivation management is decisive
The past dry growing seasons have shown that irrigation makes the difference. Irrespective of the question of whether irrigation is used, good soil fertility improves, among other things, the water storage capacity. This means that in dry growing seasons maize gets through this period just a little easier and produces a better result. In addition, additional fertilization with potassium results in more vital maize, which means that the crop is less likely to experience drought stress. Since the growing seasons are on average drier as a result of climate change, adjusting the sowing density is also a good measure. Fewer plants per hectare simply need less moisture.
Would you like more information about growing maize under dry growing conditions? Then contact us.
