In the world agricultural system, the area under cereals is 129 million hectares. The United States accounts for 23 percent of the world's corn production. Corn accounts for 60 percent of the country's total grain production. Corn, which is 12.4 million hectares in Brazil, 5.8 million hectares in India and 3.2 million hectares in Argentina, occupies a special place in our country. Thus, in 2000, the sown area of ​​corn for grain in the country was 31,870 hectares, the productivity was 32.5 s / ha, in 2015, the sown area of ​​corn for grain was increased to 36,909 hectares and 59.2 s / ha was produced in those areas. The use of this plant in the national economy is multifaceted. Its grain is used to make flour, cereals and canned food. The industry produces corn starch, ethyl alcohol, sugar, honey, fat, vitamin E, ascorbic and glutamic acids. Paper, linoleum, artificial plugs for glass containers, plastic and other products are also made from the stem and leaves of the plant. Corn is the most valuable feed for cattle and birds. One kilogram of dry grain contains 1.34 feed units and 78 grams of digestible protein. The grain is also used in the production of mixed fodder. This plant produces high-quality silage and is used as a valuable, strong, juicy fodder. Corn silage is not only well digested, but also has dietary properties. According to the number of vitamins, corn occupies an irreplaceable place among fodder plants. Corn is as important as its predecessor. In the southern regions of the country, it is possible to harvest corn twice or more a year from the same area with late or repeated sowing. Corn is also an ideal precursor to weed the soil. Its strong root system prevents the emergence of other weeds in the field.

 

Corn planting:

For centuries, man has used different methods to get the maximum yield from the soil. Improper agro-technical measures and intensive irrigation every year, as well as the burning of plant residues in the soil, lead to leaching and erosion of the topsoil. According to the latest data, human activity affects 26 million tons of soil every year. makes the tone useless. In recent years, people have come to understand that agro-technical measures must not only produce high yields, but also protect the soil. Land and resource conservation agriculture is already dealing with these issues. High temperatures are an important condition for the germination of corn seeds. Although the seed sprouts at 6° C, the husk cracks at 8 ° C. A temperature of 10˚C is required for the formation of vegetative organs (root, stem, leaf). 12˚C heat is required for the formation and flowering of generative organs. This plant is very sensitive to frost. Seedlings can withstand temperatures down to -2˚C, but are destroyed at -3˚C.
High temperatures are not suitable for corn, especially in the flowering and pollination phases. Excessive temperature of 30-35˚C has a negative effect on the development of corn. In particular, if there is a low humidity factor in the soil in which corn is grown, along with high air temperatures during the flowering period, productivity will fall sharply. This is due to the fertilization pollen of the male flower of corn. They have a humidity of 60 percent and dry and lose their ability to pollinate when the air temperature is 32-35˚C and the humidity is below 30%. The development of the root system of corn also depends on the temperature. The optimum temperature for root system development is about 24˚C. If the soil temperature does not reach 16˚C during the growing season, medium and late maturing varieties will not be able to flower. The minimum temperature that will cause the destruction of this plant is 4-5˚C, and the maximum temperature is 48˚C. Soil analysis should be carried out from the areas where corn will be planted and the nutrient content of the soil should be studied. Then fertilizers should be applied to the soil as needed. In general, a corn plant needs about 2.5 kilograms of nitrogen, 1 kilogram of phosphorus, and 1.5 kilograms of potassium fertilizer for every 100 kilograms. In our corn-growing regions, giving manure along with mineral fertilizers gives good results.

 

Demand for next crop:

Regular sowing means planting crops in turn by area and time in order to get high and high-quality products from all sown areas on the basis of combating diseases, pests and weeds by increasing soil fertility, and a system of measures taken in this regard. One of the basic laws of agriculture is that in order to achieve high productivity, it is necessary to plant crops in turns. Because different plants use different nutrients in the soil, and each plant has its own diseases and pests. When the same plant is planted in the same area for many years, the soil is already weakened and productivity drops sharply.
The main objectives of the next planting are:
1. To increase soil fertility and use its nutrients properly;
2. Improving productivity and product quality;
3. Reduce weed infestation and prevent the spread of diseases and pests;
4. Prevent water and wind erosion in soils.
Corn is usually planted after the autumn crops (wheat, barley, etc.). The best predecessors for corn are legumes (peas, beans, soybeans, etc.), potatoes, tubers and vegetables. Corn itself is a beautiful precursor to many crops, mainly for silage. After corn, its strong root system remains in the soil, and when it mixes well with the soil, it creates fertility. Also, if weeds are properly controlled during planting, the fields are cleared of weeds after corn.

 

Soil preparation for sowing:

Areas set aside for planting should be plowed to a depth of 27-30 cm after the application of manure and mineral fertilizers, and then plowed. In the spring, as soon as possible to go to the field for work, plowing ice cream should be carried out. Light leveling should be carried out on all irrigated lands. Plowing before sowing helps to warm the soil, clears the area of ​​weeds and also improves the activity of the soil microflora, causing the seeds to fall to the same depth in the soil and smoothing the soil surface in the field. As soon as the skin of the plow dries a little in the spring, it is necessary to plow it with a "zig-zag" toothed trowel. Following mulching, the area is loosened by deep cultivation at a depth of 10-12 cm and re-mulching is carried out. In order to create water reserves in the soil in the Kur-Araz plain and other irrigated areas, it is necessary to carry out plowing in the furrows. Arat is a large amount of water supplied to the field to increase the moisture content of the soil before planting and to create a washing regime in soils with slightly higher salinity. Arat should be held at a time when it reaches the sowing of the soil. The area should be plowed as it dries. If there are weeds in the soil or the soil is compacted, the ice plow should be cultivated with a cultivator to a depth of 10-12 cm and plowed at the same time. On irrigated lands of lowland and foothill areas, as well as on well-drained moist soils, it is recommended to use herring plow for planting corn. Immediately before sowing, the soil should be plowed to a depth where the seeds are buried. Depth of planting corn can vary from 2 to 7.5 cm, depending on soil and climatic conditions. If the top layer of the planted area is dry and hot, the planting depth may increase. For example, corn can be planted at a depth of 7.5-8 centimeters in clayey soils and 12.5 centimeters in sandy soils to lay a layer of more moisture. If the soil is suitable for planting corn, the sowing depth of the grain can be 5-8 centimeters. In order to prevent biological littering in the fields, crops of different varieties should be placed in such a way that it is not possible to pollute with other varieties or hybrids. There should be a distance of at least 200 meters between varieties and hybrids. The most fertile soils should be selected for seed production. Swampy and saline soils should not be allocated for seed production. Autumn cereals, potatoes, vegetables and legumes are excellent precursors for corn. In order to prevent evaporation from the soil and to destroy the weeds during the next cultivation, the areas with predecessor cereals are softened from the surface to a depth of 4-6 cm immediately after harvest. As a result of surface loosening of soil, biochemical processes are accelerated, diseases and pests are reduced, and water regime is improved.
Sowing of corn seeds is carried out using pneumatic and mechanical seeders. When using pneumatic seeders, the distance between rows, as well as the depth of seed burial, can be easily adjusted. This facilitates the thinning of plants. In general, when the daily temperature reaches + 10-12°C, it is possible to start sowing corn seeds at a depth of 7-10 cm in the soil. Sowing of corn should be carried out in lowland and relatively warm regions, usually in the first decade of April, and in mountainous and foothill regions in the third decade of April. The sowing scheme for local varieties of corn for grain is 70x30 cm, depending on the size of the seed, 18-20 kg per hectare, and for silage and green mass 70x15 cm, 25-28 kg of seed material is used. If a lot of plants are kept in the nest, the plants do not have normal-sized legs. When planting corn, the distance between rows can be 70 cm and the distance between plants can be between 25-35 cm, depending on soil fertility and rainfall.

 

Irrigation:

Corn is very sensitive to irrigation. The growing season of this plant is in hot season, so the demand for water is high. For example, according to the literature, 750-900 liters of water are used for 1 kg of corn. In Azerbaijan, corn is mostly grown in the Sheki-Zagatala region, in dry conditions. Demya farming is a type of farming without the need for artificial irrigation. Productivity in the cultivation of tea depends on the amount of soil moisture and spring rains. Irrigation on these lands is usually carried out only in times of drought. Preparation of corn for irrigation In irrigated lands, corn should be watered several times during the growing season. To get a good crop, the water needs of this plant must be fully met in time. In the lands where corn is planted, first of all, the amount of water required for sowing should be calculated by comparing it with the water resources in the area. The need for water for irrigation must first be studied. This need should be determined by visual analysis of plants and soil. It is necessary to go to the field in the early morning and check the plants. If the leaves of the plant are bruised and twisted, it means that the plant needs water. Another method is to observe the soil manually. In the depth of the root of the corn plant, the soil is taken and compacted by hand. If the soil collapses, it should be irrigated, if the soil does not collapse, but sticks to the hand, it means that the soil moisture is good and there is no need to irrigate. Initial irrigation is carried out after sowing to allow the seeds to germinate and germinate. In the following periods, there are four critical irrigation periods for corn in irrigated agricultural areas:

• First, when the plant height is 10-15 cm after inter-row cultivation and dilution of the irrigation trunk (in the outlet phase, at the beginning of the development phase);
• Second, before the emergence of irrigation brooms;
• The third irrigation is the flowering phase, during which the greatest need for water is one week before the brooms emerge, until the end of the full flowering phase. The plant should enter this period watered. Otherwise the filling percentage will drop too low. For example, a temporary pallor of 1-2 days causes a decrease in productivity by at least 20 percent;
• Fourth, irrigation is carried out during the grain filling phase. Milking is carried out in order to increase the filling from the ripening phase. This prolongs the filling time from the water and ensures that the seeds are large and heavy.

Irrigation of corn is carried out in three ways:

1. By drip method;
2. By spraying method;
3. With arch system.

Drip system - an ideal choice for farms with poor water supply. This method prevents water wastage.
Spraying method - this method is considered a modern system and is used in some farms. However, this system has its disadvantages. The use of this method in all periods of corn vegetation can cause some problems. In the final stages of maturation, spraying causes perforation and disintegration in the leaves of plants and other organs. In addition, it prevents crop loss during flowering by preventing pollination and fertilization. Another reason is that spray irrigation in hot weather causes many diseases. With this method, it is satisfactory to use the fields without watering and until the plants reach a height of 50-60 cm. It is necessary to irrigate with ditches before and after the formation of brooms.
Arch system is the most convenient method. At the bottom filling, direct irrigation is carried out by opening ditches with tractors. This method is considered to be the most optimal irrigation method because the water does not come into contact with the top layers of the plant and the nitrogen fertilizer is better absorbed into the soil. Therefore, the ditches should be opened after filling the bottom. Arches should not be too long. Irrigation of corn with drip system. Irrigation of corn by spraying. Irrigation of corn by the arch method opens up to the extent that they reach the plant, not the length of the field. The length of the ditches should be 100-150 meters depending on the amount of water and soil composition. When watering corn, the ditches should be filled with water. Water should not be wasted. The supplied water should be completely absorbed into the soil for several hours.

 

Collection:

Corn should be harvested before the rains and the cold. If harvesting is delayed, crop loss will occur. This is because the moisture created by the rains causes diseases and causes great losses in the process of storing the seeds. Many scientists recommend determining the ripening period of corn according to different criteria, for example:
• 50% from the day of planting or the emergence of seedlings to the formation of brooms and stalks;
• Due to yellowing of leg leaves from sowing day to ripening period;
• Percentage of dry matter and moisture in the grain during harvesting;
• According to the sum of temperatures during the growing season;
• Comparing by standard;
• Number of leaves and ripening;
• Due to the formation of a black spot at the junction of the grain with the leg from the day of sowing.

 

Corn is harvested in three forms:

1. Harvesting for grain;
The main purpose of harvesting corn for grain is the production of grain for seed. The goal is to harvest with a high dry matter percentage with minimal losses. For this, along with sleep-resistant varieties and hybrids, you need quality harvesters. The product must have a dry matter collection time of 60%. At this time, you can see a black dot at the junction of the grain to the leg. Grain corn is harvested according to two schemes. The first method combines the process of gathering the legs and beating the grain. During harvesting, the stems and leaves are shredded for later ensiling. In the second case, the corn stalks are already beaten for grain in the harvesting process.
2. Collection of unbeaten full legs;
The legs are harvested with combines. The legs are then dried and beaten with special threshing machines to obtain grain for fodder or seeds. Plants are cut at a height of 15 centimeters. It is inadmissible for grain damage to be more than 6% if harvested with a combine harvester, and more than 1.5% if harvested with a corn harvester. Harvesting of corn legs should not be less than 96%, peeling of legs should not be less than 95%.
3. Harvesting for silos;
The nutritional value, physical and chemical composition of silage corn, in a sense, depends on the ripening phase of the grain at the time of harvest. Wax and milk of better quality corn silage are obtained from the product harvested at the end of the wax phase. At these stages, the moisture content of the grain is 65-70%, the sugar reserves are high and the acidity of the silage is moderate. When used as feed, these silos provide animals with 20% energy. This not only saves food, but also leads to a large amount of dairy products. Collection of milk for silage - wax is carried out in the early stages of maturation, when a significant part of nutrients is lost. For example, at the beginning of the milk-wax phase, silage reaches a higher percentage of acidity due to high grain moisture and loss of dry matter. In this case, 5% of the dry matter flows through the silage juice. Remember that if the yield is low, then the corn should be harvested during the milk-wax ripening period. At this time, the green mass of the plant for silage becomes more juicy and green. Good crops should be harvested for silage at wax maturity and for grain at full maturity.
The application of a modern pivot irrigation system in corn fields, the use of high-yielding seeds, professional soil care, proper use of fertilizers, regular staff training and effective management form the basis of farmers' work.