Global Maize Project in the United States: Virginia

A study was conducted near New Kent, Virginia in the summer of 2013 to compare the effect of various practices thought to increase corn productivity over standard farmer practice (FP). The trial was planted on April 24 with the corn hybrid Dekalb 65-19 used in the Ecological Intensification (EI) treatment and Pioneer Brand 1319HR used in the FP treatment. Changes in practices in the EI treatment from FP included: seeding rate was increased by 18.5%; additional P of 56 kg P₂O₅/ha supplied in the form of Mosaic MESZ^TM (12-40-0-10S-1Zn); additional potash of 75 kg K₂O/ha was supplied; sidedress N rate increased to a total of 134 kg/ha made over three applications, V4, V6 and V10; the triazone N product ‘Coron’ applied to foliage at VT at a rate equivalent to 22 kg N/ha; Headline fungicide applied to the crop canopy with a handheld CO₂ sprayer at a rate of 12 oz/A in 10 gallons/A of water, also at the VT stage. Treatments were arranged in a randomized complete block experimental design with four replications. Yield following the EI protocol was statistically improved over the standard FP (12.6 t/ha vs 12.2 t/ha). This study is part of a global network of long-term maize improvement studies and will be continued in 2014.