Corn: how to minimize the effects of drought and frost with natural solutions

Several corn producing regions were impacted in some way by water stress, caused by the lack of rain in April and early May, and are now expected to experience frost. States like Paraná, for example, show expectations of a decline for the next harvest. The reassessment of indices by the Department of Rural Economy (Deral), the State Secretariat for Agriculture and Supply (SEAB), shows a forecast of harvesting 12,2 million tons of grain in the second harvest, a total lower than the expectation at the beginning of the cycle, when a volume of 14,5 million tons was expected.

According to agronomist Mayra Soares, grains manager at Alltech Crop Science, Paraná and Mato Grosso do Sul are expected to be the regions most impacted by frost, while the rest of the producing states are expected to be more affected, probably by drought. “Not only will corn be harmed, after all, water is the foundation of the productivity of any crop. And this year was atypical, not only due to the more intense drought, but also due to the delay in planting”, reports the specialist.

To deal with water stress, Mayra recommends that producers invest in natural tools for the soil. “The first step would be for the producer to invest in the surface that holds the plant from the beginning. Today we have bioactivators that stimulate root development, so that the root system is deep and can seek water in the more humid layers. These are important solutions, as they help the plant to go through this stress in a more resilient way,” she explains. 

Mayra's tip for minimizing the effects of frost is the use of amino acid-based technologies that accelerate the plant's metabolism, storing more sugars, thus forming a kind of protection, as it increases the freezing point, preventing the particles from freezing. Furthermore, some nutrients are also recommended in this process, such as nitrogen, phosphorus, potassium, calcium and boron. 

Benefits 

According to the agronomist, the benefits of natural plant management can be observed at different stages of the crop, whether before or after stress. When rain resumes, for example, a plant with more vigor will be noticeable, compared to one that did not undergo treatment. 

“Studies show that amino acids are very effective after stress. The physiological stimuli will cause the plant to resume its metabolism, present a higher chlorophyll content, and, consequently, have a higher photosynthetic rate, obtaining more photoassimilates to translocate into its grains”, highlights Mayra. “In the case of frost, the plant that went through a moment of stress and there was no tissue death, will have its metabolism accelerated, thus offering greater protection”, concludes the professional.