Cultivation Instructions

The foundation for successful growth is established through tillage at the time of sowing. Maize responds quickly with delayed development or poor germination rates if the soil structure does not meet the required standards. The germination rate and early development are significantly influenced by previous tillage, while the soil type determines the overall framework for the maize’s development and yield potential. Loamy, rapidly warming soils with groundwater influence offer the best yield security. In general, the seedbed must be prepared in a way that guarantees the maize plant ideal development opportunities.

The working depth depends on the planned placement depth of the maize seed, which is typically 6-8 cm. It’s important to ensure that the topsoil is not too finely structured, as this can lead to silting during heavy rainfall, significantly delaying the development of the maize plants. It also increases the risk of plant failure. The young maize seedlings should be able to emerge through the soil layer unhindered and as quickly as possible.
The goal of tillage is also to promote rapid soil warming, which optimizes germination conditions for the maize while minimizing the germination moisture available for weeds and grass weeds above the maize seed. The optimal time for seedbed preparation is just before sowing, ensuring that any weeds that have already germinated can be effectively controlled mechanically.

This area beneath the seed horizon provides the necessary water for seed germination through its capillary structure. Later, the plant’s roots will penetrate this area to absorb nutrients and water. Therefore, it is essential to ensure a sufficient proportion of fine soil within the overall porous structure. Water and roots cannot move through air pockets. As a result, the soil should only be tilled and then reconsolidated when conditions are sufficiently dry. If the soil is tilled incorrectly, uneven emergence within the row will occur. Grains that germinate after rainfall will face developmental delays, competing with already-established plants and not realizing their yield potential.
Maize reacts more strongly to competition than other crops, making it critical to break up any plough soil compaction or ruts (e.g., from slurry spreading) before sowing and then reconsolidate the soil. In dry years, small, stunted maize plants are often found in areas where the soil has not been deeply loosened, resulting in compaction. In extremely dry years, these plants cannot penetrate compacted areas, preventing them from reaching deeper soil moisture and leading to early stress and reduced yields.

Maize has a sowing window of several weeks, starting in Mid-April. Early-maturing varieties with maturity figures around S/K 190 or earlier can still perform adequately if sown in early June under special circumstances. However, as a rule, earlier sowing is more successful. The prerequisite is that the soil temperature is consistently between 8-10°C. If the temperature is lower, germination and emergence may be delayed, with an increased risk of fungal infections. Care should be taken to ensure that lower temperatures (<10°C) do not persist and hinder maize growth after sowing. The maize should be able to outgrow germinating weeds as temperatures rise. Late spring frosts can cause yield component anomalies or the death of young leaves, so it is best to avoid them if possible.

The sowing depth mainly depends on the moisture balance, the soil’s warming, and the sowing time. Maize requires a relatively large amount of water to germinate due to its large grain, so it should be sown at a depth where the soil can retain moisture. A sowing depth of 4-5 cm is recommended for heavy soils, while on lighter soils, a depth of 5-6 cm is preferred. The reason for this is that the topsoil warms up more quickly and can dry out faster. In addition, deeper soil layers often still contain enough moisture for the germination process.
For later sowing dates, deeper sowing is recommended due to generally higher soil temperatures and drier conditions. Deeper sowing can also offer protection for the seed from pests such as birds.

Row spacing in maize varies widely by region, with 75 cm being the most common. However, newer row-independent harvesting techniques are increasingly leading to efforts to reduce row spacing to 37.5 or 50 cm for better plant spacing. Trials have shown that this can sometimes result in significant additional yields and higher nutrient utilization efficiencies (Reckleben and Brandenburg, 2024). However, these additional yields are not found in every trial and depend on various factors, including the variety. For decades, maize breeding has been based on a 75 cm row system. Additionally, investing in narrow sowing techniques is not insignificant and should be carefully considered.
Nonetheless, reduced row spacing offers advantages such as earlier crop closure, better weed suppression, protection against soil erosion, and an improved microclimate. Furthermore, intraspecific competition within the row is reduced, as the number of plants is spread across several rows, and seed spacing increases, allowing individual plants to utilize available nutrients more efficiently.

Source: Anzeige von Standraumverteilung bei Mais und deren Einfluss auf die Durchwurzelung und Nährstoffausnutzung

The breeder's recommendations serve as the basis for determining sowing density. Additionally, the site's water availability and ripening capacity must be considered, based on farm experience. Excessive crop density can lead to unproductive water consumption, increased residual plant formation, poor quality, higher storage risk, and delayed ripening. Starting in the second decade of May, sowing density should be reduced by 0.5 to 1 plant/m² compared to normal, depending on the region and intended use. Late sowing can lead to reductions in the cob system, affecting quality. This can be counteracted by reducing the sowing rate. Selecting varieties based on quality is also an effective control measure.

Inaccurate plant distribution is difficult for the crop to compensate for. It is usually caused by excessive sowing speed. A lower forward speed is recommended for silage maize (5-6 km/h) and grain maize (7-8 km/h), as the sowing rate is slightly higher for silage maize compared to grain maize. If row spacing is narrower but crop density remains the same, speed can be increased, but sowing quality should always be checked.