Efficient Cultivation Mode and Benefit Analysis on Sweet Corn

Junhua WANG， Linsheng SHAO， Jianbing YAN， Ruigang WANG， Xu PANG， Haiying LIANG,Xuebiao ZHANG, Peimin ZHANG

Sorghum Institute，Shanxi Academy of Agricultural Sciences, Jinzhong 030600, China

Sweet corn, also known as fruit corn or vegetable corn, is a special utilized corn , which has high economic value,nutrition and processing,and genetic additional value,so it is also known as"genetic value-added corn"[1-4].Sweet corn grain is rich in a variety of vitamins, amino acids and other nutritional elements.Compared with normal corn, its total amino acid was 23.3%higher,and the protein content was 1 time higher,and the glucose, the fructose and the sucrose content were 1-7 times higher,and the selenium content was 8-10 times higher[5-7].Ditian6 is a new earlymaturing variety of super-sweet maize, and its duration from seedling to collecting was 70-75 d in Shanxi,and early cultivation has obvious advantage;the corn of thin skin less slag belongs to first-class; the commodity of cluster was good,and the yield was high and the disease-resistant and stress resistance were strong[8-9].

Intercropping is one of intensive and meticulous farming technology in traditional agriculture, which can improve the resource use efficiency of light,heat,water,fertilizer,prevent insect disease, and improve the productivity and stability of production system and it was also an important technical measure to promote high yield, efficient and sustainable yield increasing[10-14]. To take advantage of Ditian6’s precocity and improve cultivating benefit,cultivating benefit of five cultivation patterns, which were monoculture of Ditian6, mixed cultivation of "Ditian6 and Ditian6", "wheat and Ditian6","Ditian6 and potato",and"Ditian6 and hot pepper", were analyzed, in order to provide reference for efficient cultivation of sweet corn.

Materials and Methods

Testing variety

The sweet corn variety was Ditian6, and the wheat variety was Jintai9923, and the potato variety was Jinshu 3,and the hot pepper was long pepper.

Test design

The test was conducted in Taigudongyang,Yancun and Xinzhoudingxiang test base of Shanxi Academy of Agricultural Sciences, and the experimental factor was planting pattern,such as two crops of sweet corn in one year, intercropping of sweet corn and potato, intercropping of sweet corn and pepper and multiple sowing of wheat and sweet corn and one cropping of sweet corn per year. Three fields were chosen randomly in one pattern, and the harvest and measurement were operated on the spot.

Planting technology and field management

Two cropping of sweet corn per year planting techniques: the sweet corn was sowed early, and the plastic film mulching sowing was operated on 5thApril, and it was harvested in earlyto-mid of July, and the sweet corn of second stage was cropped among corns during 7 -10 days before harvest.

Multiple sowing technology of wheat and corn:after the harvesting of wheat, the sweet corn was sowed timely, which was harvested on National Day.

Intercropping technology of sweet corn and vegetable: the sweet corn was harvested in middle ten days of July,and the second crops were potatoes and hot pepper. One crop planting was turned into two crops planting.

Field management: it was earlymaturing variety, therefore early topdressing, early watering and early management were needed. The second crop was sowed, watering and topdressing were conducted timely,and 10-15 kg of urea was applied per mu, comprehensive insect disease prevention was operated.

Data processing

Least significant difference analysis (LSD) was conducted by DPS system.

Results and Analyses

Planting patterns of two crops of sweet corn

In central Shanxi, cultivation of two crops in one year was impossible to all food crops except sweet corn,which had short growth period for harvesting of fresh ear, therefore, it was possible to realize two crops planting,along with greenhouse cultivation,early planting and early maturing variety. Experiment and demonstration of two crops planting of sweet corn were operated on 6 000 hm2field in Taigufancun and Yucidongyang.To take full advantage of early maturing culture of Ditian6, double-film mulch cultivation was operated. The first crop was sowed on 10th April and harvested 5thJuly, and the planting density was 60 000 plants/hm2. The second crop was sowed on 25thJune and harvested on 28thSeptember, and the planting density was 46 500 plants/hm2.

As Table 1 showed, 63 270 standard fresh spikes of the first sweet corn were collected per hm2, and the net weight of fresh ear was 17 715 kg.The marketing price of one corn was 0.75 yuan, and the benefit of the first crop was 47 452.5 yuan per hm2;66 420 standard fresh spikes of the first sweet corn were collected per hm2, and the net weight of fresh ear was 13 320 kg.The marketing price of one corn was 0.7 yuan,and the benefit of the first crop was 46 485 yuan per hm2; the total benefit was 93 937.5 yuan. In one crop cultivation, 67 695 standard fresh spikes of the first sweet corn were collected per hm2, and the net weight of fresh ear was 21 675 kg.The marketing price of one corn was 0.5 yuan, and the benefit of the first crop was 33 847.5 yuan per hm2.Compared with one crop planting pattern, 61995 standard fresh spikes of sweet corn were collected,and the net weight of fresh ear increased 9 360 kg/hm2, and the benefit increase was 60 090 yuan; The pure income increase was 41 610 yuan if the average investment of 18 480 yuan per hm2was eliminated.

Table 1 Planting benefit of two crops in one year

Table 2 Benefit of multiple sowing technology of wheat and corn

Multiple sowing technology of wheat and corn

In central Shanxi, sowing of corn after wheat was a difficulty, many research and development institutions had done a lot,but the improvement of yield and benefit were not achieved.To solve this situation,multiple sowing test of wheat and corn was conducted in 1 500 hm2field of Dongyang. The first crop was wheat, and the second crop was sweet corn.

As Table 2 showed, 8820 kg of wheat was harvested per hm2by single sowing of wheat, and according to the current market price of 2 yuan/kg,the benefit was 17 640 yuan. 7875 kg of wheat was harvested per hm2by single sowing of wheat, and according to the current market price of 2 yuan/kg,the benefit was 15 750 yuan;7 875 kg of wheat was harvested per hm2by single sowing of wheat,and according to the current market price of 2 yuan/kg, the benefit was 15 750 yuan;58 500 standard fresh spikes of the first sweet corn were collected per hm2, and the net weight of fresh ear was 13 369.5 kg. The marketing priceof one corn was 0.7 yuan, and the benefit of the first crop was 40 950 yuan per hm2. The total benefit of two crops were 56 700 yuan. Compared with wheat monoculture, the benefit of multiple sowing of wheat and sweet increased 39 060 yuan per hm2. The pure income increase was 25 500 yuan if the average investment of 13 560 yuan per hm2was eliminated.

Table 3 Economic benefit of intercropping of sweet corn and vegetable

Table 4 Analysis of variance on economic benefit of 5 planting patterns

Intercropping of sweet corn and vegetables

Potato and pepper were the local mainly economic crops and vegetables,and was easy to plant and manage,which is a crop of less investment and high benefit. Intercropping of sweet corn and potato were conducted on 22.5 hm2field in Taiguyancun,and intercropping of sweet corn and pepper were conducted on 57 hm2field in Xinzhoudingxiang, and the economic beniefit was great.

As Table 3 showed, intercropping patterns of sweet corn and potato, on one hm2field,63 000 spikes were sold,and 42 000 spikes were qualified, and the price of one spike was 0.63 yuan,and the benefit was 26 460 yuan; on one hm2field, 37 500 kg potato was produced, according to the marketing price of 1.2 yuan/kg, and the benefit was 45 000 yuan; the total benefit of the two crops was 71 460 yuan. Intercropping of sweet corn and pepper,on one hm2field, 30 000 spikes were qualified, and the price of one spike was 0.5 yuan, and the benefit was 15 000 yuan; on one hm2field, 9 750 kg pepper was produced,according to the marketing price of 5 yuan/kg, and the benefit was 48 750 yuan; the total benefit of the two crops was 63 750 yuan.

Multiple comparisons of economic benefit of different planting patterns

As Table 4 and Table 5 showed,there were extremely differences among 5 planting patterns of sweet corn.Thereinto,the economic benefit of two crops in one year was extremely higher than other patterns; the economic benefit of intercropping of potato and sweet corn was extremely higher than that of intercropping of wheat and sweet corn and intercropping of wheat and pepper and one crop in one year;the economic benefit of intercropping of pepper and sweet corn was extremely higher than that of intercropping of wheat and sweet corn and intercropping of wheat and pepper and one crop in one year.

Table 5 Multiple comparisons of economic benefit of 5 planting patterns

Conclusions

Two cropping of sweet corn per year, intercropping of potatoes and sweet corn, intercropping of sweet corn and pepper, multiple cropping of sweet corn and wheat obtained good economic benefit since promotion,which was welcomed by farmers; due to early cultivation of the first Ditian6,it occupied the market gap, which was welcomed by manufacturers. The second and intercropping Ditian6 improved the multiple cropping index of field and planting benefit, and its harvest time was in the early stage of the National Day,which was welcomed by customers and improve the economic benefit indirectly.

The early harvesting part of the four cultivation patterns achieved the increasing of both production and income, the planting pattern of two cropping of sweet corn per year in one year increased both production and income obviously. The early-maturing,high quality,large cluster and resisting compact planting of Ditian6, combined with the supporting management,achieved early appearing on the market, many qualified spikes and high price.

Unseasonable planting and producing were conducted by farmers of different areas, according to the the planting arrangement of local processing enterprises, to prolong the supply time of fresh spike, and intercropping of vegetable and traditional Chinese medicine, can improve the planting benefit of sweet corn and income.

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