Spirit F1 is an early crop of sweet corn, a simple hybrid bred by the Swiss company Syngenta. Adopted by the State Register in 2002, recommended for cultivation on household plots and small farms.
Spirit Corn
Corn Spirit is low in starch
Spirit maize resistant to adverse weather conditions
Grade description
In Russian conditions, the variety proved to be one of the best in all regions of cultivation of culture. Corn Spirit can be planted even in the Northwest, and in some southern regions two crops are harvested per year.
Appearance
General characteristics of the culture:
- Stem. The cultivar Spirit is stunted, forms a powerful erect, knotty stem with a height of 1.4 to 1.65 m, a diameter of 3-5 cm. Unlike other cereals, it is not hollow in corn, which gives the plant stability, allows it to resist wind and withstand weight of cobs.
- Leaves. The leaves are green, large, elongated-lanceolate, with a sharp tip, about 10 cm wide and up to a meter long. They form at the base of the internodes and cover the ears at the initial stage of development. On one stem, there are usually 8-16 leaves.
- Roots. The root system is powerful; during the vegetative period, it goes to a depth of 1 m or more. Part of the fibrous processes extends in breadth, covering an area with a diameter of about a meter. Air roots can form on the lower internodes, supplying the plant with nutrients and moisture, and when the stem falls, they are fixed on the ground.
- Flowers. Like all corn, Spirit is a monoecious variety. The top of the stem is crowned with a single panicle of male flowers. Females are a bunch of filamentous stigmas, formed in the axils of the leaves. Hybrids may have several, but usually not more than two ripens.
- Fruit. The fruits of corn are caryopsis, tightly pressed to each other, arranged in even rows and gathered in an elongated ear, covered with a wrapper. The first ear of corn Spirit is formed at a height of 50 cm, has a length of about 22-23 cm and looks like an elongated cylinder.
Large sweet grains are grouped in 14-16 rows, are distinguished by good taste and attractive appearance. When fully ripened, they turn into a saturated yellow color. The conditional ear of the Spirit variety should weigh at least 191 g, and the mass of 100 dry grains should be about 20 g.
Composition, taste, application
Corn Spirit contains a lot of carbohydrates - more than 12%. Starch in young grains is very small - it begins to accumulate intensively only when they harden and become unsuitable for fresh consumption. This is what determines the excellent taste of the Spirit variety.
Aligned ears are eaten fresh, boiled, canned.
Ripening dates and productivity
Regardless of the region growing corn, Spirit brings a stable crop. It matures amicably; mechanized harvesting can be carried out on farm fields. The yield of conditioned cobs is from 73 to 92.5 centners per hectare.
Variety Spirit F1 belongs to the early and reaches maturity in 65 days. This makes it possible to plant it in cool regions by seedling in open ground.
Grade Benefits
In Russia, the Spirit F1 corn variety proved to be plastic, adaptable to different conditions, giving a consistently high yield, even in regions not too suitable for growing a crop.
Among the advantages of the variety are the following:
- early ripening;
- high stable yield;
- attractive presentation;
- the possibility of transportation and storage;
- the variety easily adapts to local conditions;
- corn is resistant to drought, short-term temperature drops and other adverse weather factors;
- can be grown in open ground, under film or in greenhouses;
- the variety is not prone to lodging;
- planting is carried out directly into the ground or through seedlings;
- It is highly resistant to typical diseases of the culture, especially to helminthosporiasis.
Growing Features
The corn variety Spirit F1 is unpretentious, resistant to adverse weather conditions and diseases. It can be grown as a rocker culture to protect more delicate plants.
Optimal conditions
Corn is an exceptionally light-loving and heat-loving culture. Even in a light shadow, she will not give ears. At a temperature of -1 degrees, an adult plant dies, the seedlings withstand a short-term decrease in temperature to -2 degrees.
Sugarcorn loves fertile soil. It grows best on soil with a neutral reaction, but tolerates with slightly acid. On poor soils under each nest make half a bucket of humus. Too acidic is improved with ash or dolomite flour - 2 l and 1 l per square meter, respectively.
Landing
Planting crops with seedlings or grains is possible.
Seedlings
In the Northwest, corn is best grown through seedlings. It is sown in half-liter containers or a greenhouse in mid-May. Seedlings are transferred to open ground in the second decade of June, placed according to a 40x40 cm pattern and covered with lutrastil. When the Spirit corn grows, the protection is removed.
Grains
In the south, crops are planted with grains in open ground when the soil warms up to at least 10-12 degrees and the threat of frost passes. This usually happens in mid-late May. Although corn sprouts at 8-10 degrees, you should not hurry - the ears will appear and form a few days earlier, but the yield will noticeably decrease. The optimum temperature for germination of corn is 20-22 degrees.
When planting in open ground, a square-nesting method is used, a scheme of 70x70 cm. The holes are cut wide, 5-7 cm deep, 3-4 dry or sprouted grains are thrown into each. If all ascend, leave one shoot, on fertile or well-seasoned organic soil - two. Free planting will allow each plant to get enough light.
The bed is covered with a film, if at night a temperature drop is possible. After emergence, the film is removed and changed to lutrastil.
The best temperature for the development and growth of corn is in the range from 22 to 25 degrees. If during flowering it is higher than 30 degrees, the quality of pollen decreases, which leads to a drop in yield. Therefore, in the south they try not to delay the landing, and in a temperate climate - not to rush.
Crop care during cultivation
The Spirit variety is unpretentious in leaving and does not require much attention. However, if you follow all the rules of agricultural technology, the harvest will be large, and the ears are sweeter.
Watering
In cooler regions, corn is sometimes not watered at all if it rains at least occasionally. Of course, a powerful root that goes deep into the earth is good; it will not let the culture die from dehydration. But the bulk (75%) of the roots of early sweet corn, including Spirit - fibrous, spreads in breadth and lies at a depth of up to 35 cm.
Insufficient watering, especially during the formation of cobs, worsen their quality, reduce yield. The phase of milk maturity is significantly reduced and passes in 2-3 days. The starch begins to accumulate in the grains, they become less tasty and tender.
In the south, it is hot in summer, so regular ones are required. Without them, you can get a crop, but it will be significantly lower than in irrigated areas.
Top dressing
On chernozems, if each nest was well seasoned with humus before sowing, you can not feed the culture. Simultaneously with corn, peas or curly bean varieties are planted in the hole, saturating the earth with nitrogen.
If organic matter has not been applied or the soil is poor, the culture needs to be fertilized. They feed corn 2-3 times per season:
- At the beginning of growth, when the shoots reach a height of 15-20 cm, infusion of weeds diluted in half with water. A bucket is poured under each nest.
- If the leaves are green, the corn grows well and does not look oppressed, the second top dressing is skipped. They do it only with a developmental delay or too light leaves 10-14 days after the first. Use infusion of weeds or any nitrogen-rich top dressing diluted according to the instructions.
- As soon as a whisk appears at the end of the shoot, the corn is fertilized with a complete mineral complex. Under each nest, 10 liters of solution are poured.
Weeding and cultivation
Loosening the soil is of great importance when growing corn. Its roots need a lot of oxygen, and the crust formed after watering or rains, necessarily peel. As necessary, weeding is carried out.
When the corn rises 1 m, the stem is spudded for better stability, like potatoes. At a distance of about 30 cm from the shoot, draw a wide groove about 10 cm deep so that water during irrigation or rain gets to the plant, rather than spreading over the site.
Pest and Disease Control
The Spirit variety is resistant to major corn diseases, especially spotting (helminthosporiasis). Culture may be affected:
- dusty or bubbly smut;
- Fusarium infection
- wilt;
- rot.
Among the pests it is worth highlighting:
- aphids;
- weevil;
- swedish fly;
- wireworm;
- stem moth.
Fungicides are used to fight diseases, insecticides are used for pests.
Harvesting and storage
By the time of the harvest, Spirit sugar grains should be well felt under the integumentary leaves. They fit tightly together, the tops become smooth and even. When crushed from seeds, sparse sweet juice is sprayed.
The time and method of harvesting corn Spirit F1 depends on its use:
- For fresh consumption corn is torn in the stage of milk-wax ripeness, and only by hand, bending the head of cabbage in the direction opposite to the stem. So there is no danger of damaging the cobs, which reduces the shelf life and consumer value.
- For processing - freezing and preservation - harvesting is carried out at the end of milk ripeness of grains. In significant areas for the cultivar Spirit, the mechanized method is permissible.
Corn is harvested at temperatures up to 22 degrees in the early morning or before sunset. In the heat, the grains become tasteless. If long-term storage or transportation over long distances is expected, the cobs are immediately cooled - this reduces the likelihood of spoilage and increases keeping quality. It is recommended to transport them in boxes without removing the wrappers.
Corn Spirit F1 is one of the best early ripe sugar varieties for cultivation in all regions of Russia. It has good taste, resistance to cold, drought and disease. The crop annually produces high yields, even in regions with a cool climate.