Zea mays

Bijeenkomst: EGF2015
Auteur: Cougnon M., George T. and Reheul D.
ISBN: 978-9090-289-61-8
Jaar van uitgifte: 2015
Producttype: Paper
Grass cover crops installed following the harvest of forage maize often develop poorly due to the late sowing date. Undersowing of grasses is an alternative, provided the undersown grass does not compete too much with the maize crop. This trial evaluated the competition of undersown tall fescue (Festuca arundinacea Schreb.) in forage maize. Differences in competition were obtained by using 6 contrasting herbicide treatments that affected tall fescue differently. The yield of forage maize without undersown grass (control: 21,688 kg DM ha‑1) was significantly higher compared to maize with undersown grass that was not inhibited by herbicides (17,887 kg DM ha‑1). A significant negative relationship was found between the maize yield and the grass biomass after maize harvest. At the beginning of the winter, the biomass of Italian ryegrass sown immediately after the maize harvest was at the same level of the undersown tall fescue. Our results indicate the necessity using the right herbicide treatment to combine good maize yields with the benefits of the undersown grass.

Bijeenkomst: EGF2015
Auteur: Ferreiro-Domínguez N., Rigueiro-Rodríguez A. and Mosquera-Losada M.R.
ISBN: 978-9090-289-61-8
Jaar van uitgifte: 2015
Producttype: Paper
Animal feed is the main cost on dairy farms. Maize can produce quality silage for dairy cattle at less cost than silage from grass, and at the same time increases milk yield and milk protein content. Moreover, supplementation with concentrates can be reduced and profitability is improved. The correct use of amendments and fertilisers could improve maize production and its nutritional content and also reduce costs. The aim of this study was to evaluate the effect on forage maize production of different application rates of an amendment (5, 15, 25 and 35 Mg ha‑1) and an organo-mineral fertiliser (50, 100, 150 and 200 kg N ha‑1) developed with organic matter from industrial wastes and with inorganic sulphur from a refinery, in comparison with the mineral fertilisation usually carried out in the area where the experiment was conducted (Spain). The results obtained did not show a significant effect of the different rates of the amendment on maize production, probably because the amount of N applied to the soil was similar. However, high rates of the organo-mineral fertiliser increased the production of forage maize, probably by the soil fertility improvement associated with this treatment.

Bijeenkomst: EGF2015
Auteur: Schuppenies R., Pickert J. and Herrmann A.
ISBN: 978-9090-289-61-8
Jaar van uitgifte: 2015
Producttype: Paper
In Germany, it is recommended to harvest silage maize at a whole-crop dry matter (DM) content (GTS) of 32 to 36% and a cob DM content (KTS) of about 55%. Predicting harvest date may be challenging for sites with a high risk of summer drought. Harvesting silage maize at the optimum stage of development is a prerequisite for maximising yield, forage quality and resource-use efficiency. This is especially challenging for sites that have frequent summer droughts, which cause fast maturation of the stover. The objectives of the current study were to evaluate the predicting ability of three modelling approaches: the semimechanistic MaisProg model, simulating GTS and KTS, and a temperature-sum driven tool (PAGF) predicting KTS. The study was based on an 8-year field experiment, conducted at Paulinenaue, northeastern Germany, where maize hybrids were harvested weekly from August until silage maturity. The results revealed that, under conditions of frequent summer droughts, MaisProg-GTS seems less suitable, as indicated by an unsatisfactory correlation coefficient (0.68). Better model fit was achieved by the KTS-based approaches (MaisProg: 0.92, PAGF: 0.96). In particular, PAGF showed a higher correlation for early harvest date predictions (mid/late August), which is advantageous in terms of arranging the hiring of contractors.

Bijeenkomst: EGF2015
Auteur: Deru J., Van Schooten H., Huiting H. and Van der Weide R.
ISBN: 978-9090-289-61-8
Jaar van uitgifte: 2015
Producttype: Paper
Maize (Zea mays) cultivation for silage has negative impacts on soil and water quality: reduced soil organic matter, nitrate leaching, soil-biota decline, etc. These problems can be caused partly by intensive soil tillage, like ploughing. The suitability of less-intensive tillage alternatives for farmers, in terms of effects on yield and soil quality, is unknown. On three field experiments, two on sandy soils and one on marine clay soil, we compared ‘full-field inversion tillage’ with two reduced tillage systems: ‘full-field non-inversion tillage’ and ‘strip-cutter’. Reducing tillage intensity in silage maize cropping influenced both yields and soil quality: at two locations yields tended to be reduced, and at two locations soil organic matter content was lower in inversion tillage compared to reduced tillage. The possible implications of reduced soil organic matter mineralisation for nitrogen dynamics are discussed.

Bijeenkomst: EGF2015
Auteur: Komainda M., Herrmann A., Kluß C. and Taube F.
ISBN: 978-9090-289-61-8
Jaar van uitgifte: 2015
Producttype: Paper
Regions in northern Germany that are characterised by high livestock/biogas plant density, light sandy soils and extensive silage maize production are facing major challenges with respect to environmental pollution, in particular nitrate leaching. The objective of the current study was to investigate a management strategy, i.e. an optimisation of maize harvest date and catch crop species, for mitigating the environmental pollution risk, based on a 2-year field study. Rye turned out more effective in N uptake than Italian ryegrass when sown no later than the second decade of September. A trade-off between maize yield, catch-crop N uptake, or N losses need not necessarily occur.