Grain Maize

The trend of slightly increasing areas of grain maize cultivation in Germany continues, and the reasons for this are manifold. First and foremost, grain maize is multifunctional. It is primarily traded as a market crop or used in animal feed. However, the starch and food industries are also important customers. The integration of grain maize as a summer crop in the crop rotation has yielded relatively good results in recent dry summers, as maize, being a C4 plant, is able to use the available water more efficiently than other crops. Cultivating it after winter catch crops, such as TerraLife®-MaisPro TR, contributes to soil improvement and has been shown to provide up to 60 kg of nitrogen per hectare to the following crop. The maize straw left in the field after threshing also helps increase the humus content in the soil. Mulching the stubble followed by deep, well-mixed tillage is standard practice. In light of the fact that more and more plant protection products are losing approval and that foxtail millet, in particular, is becoming an increasing problem, grain maize can be a solution. With its early to late grain maize varieties, DSV offers a suitable option for every region.

The decision of whether to opt for flint maize or dent maize should be made based on specific farm conditions. Flint maize varieties have good early development and cold tolerance, making them suitable for sites that warm up slowly. There are also dent corn varieties.  These varieties are characterized by a later but very rapid release of water from the grain, resulting in the typical dent shape.