Sweet corn farming has gained popularity in India, which is attributed to the growing demand and profitability of the crop. Farmers are adopting this crop because it takes a short time to grow and is a versatile crop.
Let’s learn more about sweet corn farming in India, its cultivation process and market value.
Land Preparation and Sowing
Sweet corn prefers well-drained soil rich in organic matter. Before planting, plough the soil to make it loamy and well-aerated. Sowing is generally done in the kharif season, when the climate is warm, and the soil temperature is more than 10 °C. Agricultural improvement involves using implements such as Indian tractors. These tractors help till your land in a shorter time than the manual process, increasing the farmer's efficiency.
Seed Selection and Planting
It is very important to select the right variety of seeds to get optimum yield. Today, numerous types of sweet corn hybrids can be bought, which are disease-free. Seed planting should be done 1 inch deep, and the distance between rows should be 2 inches. Space is also useful for getting proper sunlight and aeration for growth of plant.
Irrigation and Fertilization
The proper growth of sweet corn requires a moderate amount of water, which should be supplied regularly. Always ensure you rinse your crop well, particularly when the crop is at the silking or ear development stage. The fertilizer which should be applied in the early stages of the crop is a balanced one to supplement the nutrients. Some of the tasks that can be easily done by Sonalika Mileage Master tractors include fertilization, where fertilizers can be evenly distributed throughout the field.
Pest and Weed Control
Effective weed control is critical if one is to cultivate sweet corn successfully. Competition can be made between the weeds and crops for the nutrients needed so that less yield will be harvested. When it comes to fields, make sure to use herbicides and manually pull off the weeds in order to have clean fields. Monitoring is required in order to control pests such as the corn borer and the aphids. That is why an IPM plan needs to be applied to minimize crop losses.
Harvesting and Storage
Sweet corn is ready to harvest after 100 days. When the silk’s skin turns completely brown, and the kernels in it are well-filled, it is time to harvest. Using tractors like the SWARAJ XT TRACTOR makes harvesting easy and faster with mechanical combine harvesters.