Maize

September

• Soil Test
• Select maize variety
• Yield targets
• Pre-order seed

October & November

• Seedbed preparation
• Fertiliser —pre-sowing
• Pre-emergent & power harrow
• Precision sowing & fertiliser

December

• Nitrogen—if moisture available
• Pest inspection & control
• Weed Management
• Summer Grass Management

January & February

• Regular crop inspections
• Prepare silage pit
• Plan harvest logistics

March & April

• Order Inoculant—11CFT
• Harvest crop
• Ensure stack is rolled and sealed well

Getting the soil right before planting sets the whole crop up for success. A soil test will show where pH, phosphorus, potassium, and sulphur levels sit, and if lime or gypsum is needed. Maize responds strongly to balanced fertility, especially nitrogen, but it also needs the base nutrients to be right first. Investing in soil health before sowing gives the crop the best foundation for even establishment and higher yields.

Understanding maize seed size is important when planning paddock establishment, and Pioneer Seeds make it clear that seed size doesn’t determine yield potential. Each bag of Pioneer® maize seed is carefully sized and graded to ensure consistent planting through modern seeders, whether the kernels are large, medium, or small. Differences in seed size simply reflect how the hybrid grew and was harvested in seed production, not how it will perform on farm. What really matters is placing the seed accurately at the right depth and population for your soil and system, as all Pioneer seed sizes are backed by the same genetics, treatments, and quality standards to deliver strong emergence and even plant stands.

CRM stands for Comparative Relative Maturity. It’s a simple way Pioneer uses to compare how early or late one maize hybrid will mature compared to another. Think of it as a guide number, not actual “days to maturity,” because the growing season, planting date, and seasonal conditions all play a big part in how long a crop takes.

In general, hybrids with a lower CRM number will flower, fill grain, and reach harvest quicker, while those with a higher CRM number take longer but usually suit longer growing seasons. It’s an easy tool to line hybrids up against each other and pick the right fit for your farm and feed needs.

Weeds compete with maize for light, nutrients, and moisture, and early competition can cost tonnes of silage. A clean paddock before planting plus a solid pre-emergent herbicide program will protect seedlings in those crucial first weeks. A tidy post-emergent spray pass if required helps maintain clean rows until canopy closure. Keeping the crop weed-free early is the cheapest yield insurance you can buy.

Young maize is a magnet for cutworm, wireworm, and earwigs, while later in the season heliothis and armyworm can chew into leaves and cobs. Disease pressures like northern leaf blight or rust can flare up in wetter or humid conditions. Regular crop walks and scouting through the season mean problems can be spotted early, and only managed if needed—protecting yield without unnecessary cost.

Betta Strike® seed treatment is like insurance for your maize or sorghum crop right from day one. When seedlings first emerge, they’re at their most vulnerable—tiny plants facing weather stress, soil-borne diseases, and hungry insects that can wipe out rows overnight. Losing plants at this stage often means patchy paddocks or even the costly job of re-sowing.

By having Betta Strike® on your seed, you’re giving each plant a strong start. The treatment combines a premium fungicide with an insecticide, protecting seedlings from common soil diseases and early insect attack. That protection helps you achieve an even strike, a uniform plant stand, and the best chance of reaching your paddock’s full yield potential. In short, Betta Strike® helps safeguard your investment in quality seed and sets your crop up for a higher return at harvest.

Maize goes through key growth stages that determine final yield. Early vegetative stages (V6–V8) are critical for setting cob size, while tasseling and silking must be protected from stress to ensure good pollination. Grain fill and staygreen through to harvest drive starch levels and silage quality. Knowing these stages helps target fertiliser, irrigation, and monitoring at the right times for the biggest impact.

Picking the crop at the right stage is the difference between average and top-quality silage. Aim for whole-plant dry matter around 32–35% with well-filled cobs and strong starch. Kernel processing at harvest ensures grain is cracked and usable in the rumen. Harvesting too early loses yield and starch, while too late reduces digestibility—so getting timing right is key to feed quality.

Once chopped, good silage management is all about air exclusion and fermentation. Thin layers, heavy rolling, and a well-covered stack keep oxygen out and quality in. Inoculants can improve fermentation speed and feed stability at feed-out. Managing the face to minimise waste and heating protects the value of what you’ve grown and ensures cows get consistent, high-quality feed every day.

Getting the most out of your feed

Keep the face of the maize silage stack tight throughout the feed-out period, preventing air to penetrate into the stack.

Allowing (oxygen loving) bacteria access to break down the plant material will produce carbon dioxide, heat and water.

Careful use of the tractor bucket at feed-out time will minimise loosening of silage. Avoid digging into the stack as this loosens silage that will not be fed for several days.

Scoop out the lowest section of silage, then using the bucket blade, chip down the silage one section at a time from  bottom.

Introduce maize silage into the diet over a period of 5-10 days. Start by allocating each animal 1-2 kg dry matter and increase the amount that you feed each day

IMPORTANT TIPS

• Keep face of maize silage stack tight
• Never feed mouldy or rotten silage to your animals.
• Careful use of the tractor bucket at feed-out time will minimise loosening of silage.
• Chip down the silage one section at a time starting at the bottom.

When is water needed?

Water need increases rapidly from about two weeks prior to tassel and ear appearance until about two weeks after full silk and then decreases rapidly.  Figure A only compares water need & dry weight accumulation on a days after emergence basis.

Research shows that the total amount of water used by high yielding crops is only slightly more than that used to produce low yields. Weed control, fertiliser, plant population & maize variety are crucial factors to minimising water usage.

Making the most of limited water

It is generally considered that yield is lost when corn is visibly wilted for four consecutive days. When corn plants become stressed, the lower parts of the plant wilt and suffer damage proportionately more than the upper parts.

Hybrid varieties play an important role in yielding well in spite of considerable moisture stress.