This document provides guidance on growing corn and includes the following key points: 1. Choose corn varieties that are adapted to the local climate and that have good potential yield, maturity, pest and disease resistance, and market demand. Both hybrid and open-pollinated varieties are recommended. 2. Prepare the land through plowing and making furrows for planting. 3. Apply recommended amounts of fertilizer, including organic and inorganic sources, based on soil analysis. Fertilizer should be applied at planting and as a sidedressing later in the growth cycle. 4. Plant corn at the recommended density, thinning excess plants later. Apply insecticide to prevent whorl maggot if needed.

2. 1. CHOOSE THE RIGHT
VARIETY
Photo: S.
Palizada

3. • Consider the local cropping pattern
and crop adaptability to local
climatic condition
• Potential yield
• Maturity and resistance to insect
pests and diseases
• Viability of the seeds - to avoid
thinning and expensive replanting
• Market demand

4. Corn Varieties
Open-Polllinated
Varieties (OPV):
• IPB Var. 4
• IPB Var. 6
• IPB Var. 9
• IPB Var. 10
• IES- 8906
• VM 2
• USM Var. 10
• USM Var. 5
• TRADITIONAL VARIETIES
•Tacuro , Kabagtik, Tiniguib, etc.
HYBRIDS:
• PIONEER 30M50
• PIONEER 30B80
• PIONEER 30W40
• PIONEER 30B29
• DEKALB 9051
• DEKALB 818
• GSI 40
• CHINESE (ZF)
• ACM 8000

5. 2. LAND PREPARATION

6. In areas with continuous
growing of corn
• 1st plowing after harvest
• 2nd plowing 14 days prior to planting
• Make furrows at the day of planting 75
cm. apart at 8 cm. depth

7. • 1st plowing
• 2nd plowing 15 days from 1st plowing
• 3rd plowing 30 days from the 2nd
plowing
• Make furrows a day or at the day of
planting 75 cm apart at 8 cm depth
In newly open areas potential
for corn

8. 3. FERTILIZATION

9. • Apply recommended rate of fertilizer,
organic + inorganic combination or
inorganic alone
• Based on soil analysis
• For hybrid corn - 96-69-60 kgs NPK/ha
+ 20 bags organic fertilizer
• For OPV - 74-28-28 kgs NPK/ha + 10
bags organic fertilizer

10. • Basal (at planting)
– 20 bags organic fertilizer
– 3 bags di-ammonium phosphate (18-46-0)
– 1 bag Urea (46-0-0)
Hybrid: Fertilizer Application
time

11. • Basal (at planting)
• 10 bags organic fertilizer/ha
• 3 bags complete fertilizer (14-14-14)
OPV: Fertilizer application
time

12. • Cover the fertilizer with thin layer of
soil of about 2 cm (to avoid fertilizer
burn on the seeds)
• Normal soil pH for corn 5.5 - 7.5
• If soil pH is below 5.5, liming is
necessary at 2.0 - 3.0 t/ha to be applied
at least 4 weeks before planting

13. 4. PLANTING

14. • For Hybrid = 18 kgs. per hectare
• Planting Distance: 20 - 25 cm between hills
at one seed per hill
• 20 cm x 75 cm : 63,333 hills/ha
• 25 cm x 75 cm : 53,333 hills/ha
Seed requirement per
hectare for Hybrid

15. • For OPV = 20 kgs. per hectare
• Planting Distance : 25 cm per hill at one
seed per hill
• At 10 - 15 days from sowing, apply
insecticide to prevent whorl maggot
Seed requirement per
hectare for OPV

16. • If the number of growing plants is
beyond the expected, uproot the excess
ones carefully
• Do shallow cultivation or off-barring to
control weeds
5.THINNING,
CULTIVATION AND
WEEDING (20 DAP)

17. • Apply the remaining dose of
recommended fertilizer 25 - 30 days
after planting (DAP)
• Hilling-up to cover the fertilizer
applied
6. SIDEDRESSING & HILLING-
UP

18. • Sidedress ( 4 weeks after sowing or at knee
high)
– 2 bags urea (46-0-0)
– 2 bags muriate of potash (0-0-60)
– Mix the fertilizer on the day of fertilizer
application
– Cover the fertilizer right away (to avoid
Nitrogen loss)
Hybrid: 2nd Fertilizer
Application

19. • 2 bags urea (46-0-0)
• 1 bag complete fertilizer (14-14-14)
• Mix well the fertilizer
• Apply fertilizer 6 c.m. away on both side
of the plants
• Cover the fertilizer by hilling-up
OPV: 2nd Fertilizer
Application

20. Photo: S. Palizada
• Corn borer infestation
– Apply biological control by using
Trichogramma Cards ( 50 - 100 cards/ha)
– Detasseling 75% ( 3 rows detasseled: 1 row
intact)
– Synchronous planting ( Plant at same time
your neighbor does. Avoid planting late.
7. PEST, WEEDS AND DISEASE
CONTROL

21. • Spot weeding to control weeds. Take
care not to injure the plants
Weed Control

22. • Immediately remove and burn infected
leaves or plant parts (Chlorotic streak,
stalk rot, downy mildew, mosaic, etc.)
Disease Control

23. 8. HARVESTING (95-110 days after
planting)
• Harvest at appropriate stage depending on the
maturity of your variety or hybrid
• 90-95 days- early maturing
• 105-110 days- full season
• Ready for harvesting when black layer
develops at the grain’s point of attachment to
the cobs
• Kernels are glazed
• Leaves and husks are dry

24. 9. POSTHARVEST
• After harvest, promptly dry corn ears to 18%
moisture content prior to shelling 2-3 days
• Mechanical drying 6-8 hours
• Dry shelled kernels to at least 14% moisture
content for better storage
• Corn standard that will command a higher
price : 97% purity, 3% immature seeds, and
>5% damage kernels