Simple techniques to increase corn yield

To increase corn yield, in addition to key technical measures such as selecting good, disease-free varieties, applying fertilizer rationally and scientifically, and providing irrigation and care appropriate to each stage of corn growth, some simple yet significant technical measures can greatly increase corn yield. The following are some of these measures for farmers to consider:

1. When planting corn on alluvial soil or paddy fields, furrows should be made in an east-west direction to take advantage of sunlight, which both increases the corn plant's photosynthetic capacity and reduces pest and disease damage.

2. The 3-4 true leaf stage of corn is the period when the corn plant needs supplemental nutrition because it has used up all the nutrients in the kernels. Therefore, during this stage, it is necessary to loosen the soil and apply nitrogen fertilizer promptly. However, this issue is often overlooked by farmers, who usually only care for and fertilize the corn when it has 6-7 true leaves, which limits its growth and also leads to weed infestation, reducing the corn's photosynthetic capacity.

3. Supplementary pollination of corn: This is an important task that contributes to increasing the number of rows of kernels per ear and the number of filled kernels per row, preventing row and kernel shortages in corn. This work does not require much time or effort but yields high economic efficiency, significantly increasing corn yield.

The method for supplemental pollination of corn is very simple. Just observe the corn field; when the tassels have been shedding pollen for 2-3 days, proceed with supplemental pollination by using a long string (made of cloth or nylon, etc.) about 9-10 meters long. Tie both ends of the string to the ends of two sticks about 1.2-1.5 meters long. Each person holds a stick with the string tied to it, stretching it across the corn field and walking back and forth so that the string gently touches the tassels, causing the pollen sacs to be released and fall onto the corn silks below. This should be done between 9-10 am when the pollen sacs have dried from the dew and are ready to be released. Alternatively, you can use two sticks, each 2-3 meters long, walking along the corn rows and gently touching the two rows of corn on either side of the furrow to release the pollen onto the silks.

4. When the corn tassels have darkened (pollination is complete), the tassels should be cut off so that nutrients are concentrated on the cob and kernels. When the corn enters the waxy stage (the husks change from green to yellowish-green), some of the lower leaves can be collected as animal feed, but overuse should be avoided as it will affect corn yield.

5. When harvesting corn, it is necessary to proactively sort the ears of corn right in the field, separating out small ears and those affected by pests, diseases, or mold. Harvested corn should not be piled up but spread out to dry and reduce moisture absorption that reduces corn quality. Afterwards, the husks should be removed, the ears should be sun-dried, and the kernels should be separated and dried to the standard moisture level for storage.

According to hoinongdan - LY