204
Below is a corn (Zea mays L.) tissue nutrient sufficiency table by growth stage, including macronutrients (nitrogen, phosphorus, potassium, calcium, magnesium, sulfur), micronutrients (boron, copper, iron, manganese, zinc, molybdenum), leaf water content (LWC), and Brix values. These values are based on leaf tissue analysis (typically the ear leaf at silking or the youngest fully expanded leaf at earlier stages) and are derived from agricultural research, such as guidelines from Iowa State University, Purdue University, and other corn-growing regions, adjusted for corn physiology.
Growth stages are categorized as:
- VE–V6 (Vegetative, emergence to early growth)
- Vegetative (Vegetative, rapid growth to tasseling)
- R1–R2 (Reproductive, silking to blister)
- R3–R6 (Grain Fill to Maturity, milk to physiological maturity).
- Harvest
Nutrient concentrations are in percentages (%) for macronutrients and parts per million (ppm) for micronutrients, with LWC as a percentage of fresh weight and Brix (°Bx) as soluble solids in sap.
| Growth Stage |
N (%) |
P (%) |
K (%) |
Mg (%) |
Ca (%) |
S (%) |
||||||
|
Min |
Max |
Min |
Max |
Min |
Max |
Min |
Max |
Min |
Max |
Min |
Max |
|
|
VE-V6 |
3.50 |
5.00 |
0.30 |
0.50 |
2.50 |
3.50 |
0.20 |
0.40 |
0.30 |
0.70 |
0.15 |
0.30 |
|
V7-Vn |
3.00 |
4.50 |
0.25 |
0.45 |
2.00 |
3.00 |
0.20 |
0.40 |
0.30 |
0.70 |
0.15 |
0.30 |
|
VT-R2 |
2.70 |
4.00 |
0.25 |
0.40 |
1.70 |
2.50 |
0.20 |
0.40 |
0.30 |
0.70 |
0.15 |
0.30 |
|
R3-Maturity |
2.70 |
4.00 |
0.25 |
0.40 |
1.70 |
2.50 |
0.20 |
0.40 |
0.30 |
0.70 |
0.15 |
0.30 |
|
Harvest |
2.00 |
3.00 |
0.15 |
0.30 |
1.30 |
2.00 |
0.15 |
0.30 |
0.30 |
0.70 |
0.15 |
0.30 |
|
B (ppm) |
Zn (ppm) |
Mn (ppm) |
Fe (ppm) |
Cu (ppm) |
Mo (ppm) |
|||||||
|
Min |
Max |
Min |
Max |
Min |
Max |
Min |
Max |
Min |
Max |
Min |
Max |
|
|
VE-V6 |
4 |
25 |
20 |
60 |
20 |
150 |
50 |
250 |
5 |
20 |
0.10 |
2.00 |
|
V7-Vn |
4 |
25 |
20 |
60 |
20 |
150 |
50 |
250 |
5 |
20 |
0.10 |
2.00 |
|
VT-R2 |
4 |
25 |
20 |
60 |
20 |
150 |
50 |
250 |
5 |
20 |
0.10 |
2.00 |
|
R3-Maturity |
4 |
25 |
20 |
60 |
20 |
150 |
50 |
250 |
5 |
20 |
0.10 |
2.00 |
|
Harvest |
4 |
25 |
20 |
60 |
20 |
150 |
50 |
250 |
5 |
20 |
0.10 |
2.00 |
|
LWC |
BRIX |
|||||||||||
|
Min |
Max |
Min |
Max |
|||||||||
|
VE-V6 |
85 |
90 |
8 |
12 |
||||||||
|
V7-Vn |
80 |
88 |
10 |
15 |
||||||||
|
VT-R2 |
75 |
85 |
12 |
18 |
||||||||
|
R3-Maturity |
75 |
85 |
10 |
16 |
||||||||
|
Harvest |
40 |
55 |
8 |
12 |
||||||||
Scanning Recommendation:
- Ensure that over 25% of the scan bed is covered with a single layer of vegetation.
