Paddock selection is the most common mistake in New Zealand maize growing and is costing farmers yield before the season begins, says Cameron Hussey, Sales Agronomist at Corson Maize.
"It is a very simple crop to grow, but it all comes down to preparation and time," he says.
“I think the biggest problem with New Zealand farmers is not allowing enough time to have everything planned, and that's when failure can step in.”
Hussey says maize does not like wet feet and demands high nutrient levels, making fertile, well-drained ground the starting point.
"The main failure I see is selecting the wrong paddock in the first place.”
Getting the variety right is the next decision. Hussey says comparative relative maturity (CRM) is central to this, governing when the crop is ready and at what moisture level, and whether a shorter or longer variety suits the planting window.
"We've got crop maturity, plant traits, the leaf mass, disease resistance, and the grain characteristics for grain hybrids, or for softer starch, and then the ability to plant lower populations for drier conditions, or windier conditions.”
Yield losses will compound: a bag of seed capable of 40 tonnes loses potential with each avoidable mistake along the way.
"If you’re spraying your paddock out and trying to cultivate on the same day, you're going to have thatch that damages your yield, not applying the right fertiliser damages your yield.”
He says the goal is to minimise every one of those errors to secure as much of that potential as possible.
"It's all about preparation and understanding.
“There's so much great advice, and guys that know what they're doing, it's just asking those rough questions.”
Preparations should start in autumn by aerating soils, correcting fertility with lime, and choosing the right cultivation method with contractors.
He says demand is growing beyond dairy with a rising beef market, and maize pushing further into the South Island as growing conditions improve.
"Its root mass is usually as deep as it is tall, and it can utilise the dairy effluent very well – it fits really well within pasture renewal down there.”
He says technology is still changing what growers can do, with maize leading the sector on precision agriculture for years.
"You need 99% hit rates, you're getting variable fertilisers, all that stuff.
“It's quite exciting to see the big changes.”
Contact your PGG Wrightson Technical Field Representative to plan your crop and pasture requirements. Find out more about maize hybrid options at corsonmaize.co.nz.
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