Written by cpm from CPM Magazine
Download PDF Arable farmers have a great opportunity to diversify rotations and add a new income stream with maize. CPM considers some key issues. Farmers can now plant an earlier maturing variety without yield penalties – even on less favourable sites. By Natalie Noble Modern maize varieties are opening the doors for maize cropping on arable units – for neighbouring livestock farms or anaerobic digestion. About a decade ago little maize was grown on pure arable farms. The introduction of anaerobic digestion plants prompted a rise in production, says Tim Richmond, UK maize manager at LG Seeds, such that maize for AD now represents 25-30% of the country’s total maize acreage. Initially a lack of knowledge and experience led to immature harvests and waste, he says. “I think the temptation was to grow the biggest pile of fresh yield. Crops were harvested too early with watery, leafy plants and underdeveloped cobs, resulting in low dry matter (DM) and energy wastage from sugars not converting to starch within the cob.” Selecting later maturing varieties, which at the time significantly out-yielded earlier varieties, was also an issue. “It either results in harvesting before the crop has matured, or later in poor conditions,” he says.…
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Download PDF Arable farmers have a great opportunity to diversify rotations and add a new income stream with maize. CPM considers some key issues. Farmers can now plant an earlier maturing variety without yield penalties – even on less favourable sites. By Natalie Noble Modern maize varieties are opening the doors for maize cropping on arable units – for neighbouring livestock farms or anaerobic digestion. About a decade ago little maize was grown on pure arable farms. The introduction of anaerobic digestion plants prompted a rise in production, says Tim Richmond, UK maize manager at LG Seeds, such that maize for AD now represents 25-30% of the country’s total maize acreage. Initially a lack of knowledge and experience led to immature harvests and waste, he says. “I think the temptation was to grow the biggest pile of fresh yield. Crops were harvested too early with watery, leafy plants and underdeveloped cobs, resulting in low dry matter (DM) and energy wastage from sugars not converting to starch within the cob.” Selecting later maturing varieties, which at the time significantly out-yielded earlier varieties, was also an issue. “It either results in harvesting before the crop has matured, or later in poor conditions,” he says.…
The post Maize works – More from maize appeared first on cpm magazine.
Continue reading on CPM website...
If you are enjoying what you read then why not considering subscribing here: http://www.cpm-magazine.co.uk/subscribe/