Cultivation

Corn Silage

Zea mays L.

Corn is the gold-standard crop for ensiling due to its high sugar content, which ensures efficient lactic acid fermentation at a moisture level of 65–75%. The haylage technology involving wilting is not standard for corn and is not applied in widespread practice.

In the reference 2 332 varieties crop Maize, where this is mentioned in the description.

Corn is classified as an easy-to-ensile crop due to its optimal content of water-soluble carbohydrates, which are necessary for fermentation. The silage harvesting process assumes no preliminary wilting of the plant mass. The optimal moisture content of the raw material when harvested at the milk-dough and dough stages of grain maturity is 65–75%.

Due to its high energy value and sugar concentration, corn silage is prone to aerobic spoilage upon exposure to oxygen, which requires strict adherence to compaction and sealing technologies. Unlike forage grasses, corn is not intended for classical haylage, which requires wilting to a moisture content of 45–55%, as this reduces the efficiency of feed production.

General information about the subject — on the page Silage and haylage.

Sources8

Varieties of Maize mentioned in the description

Selection based on the description text, not on official evaluation: these data are absent from registers. For specific variety details, please refer to its profile.