Kyabram corn crop thrives in fertile soil

A thriving corn crop in northern Victoria, nearing 8-feet tall, has benefited from fertile soil. See the potential yield estimates.

Fertile soil and good preparation have allowed Andrew Pryde corn crop at Kyabram in northern Victoria to thrive.

The picture-perfect irrigated corn, which is still a couple of months off harvest, was planted into flood irrigation and followed a canola crop.

Andrew Pryde said he was happy with how the corn was performing at this stage in the season.

“It is a nice fertile area, and we are about two to three months away from harvest,” he said.

It was estimated the corn crop could yield as much as 18 tonnes a hectare if it was cut for grain. Andrew said it could be cut for silage rather than grain, depending on the markets.

Andrew Pryde pictured in his corn crop at Kyabram. Picture: Zoe Phillips

“We will make that decision in mid April,” he said.

The crop of corn had reached its peak height for the growing season.

“I’m six-foot tall, so this could be as high as 8 feet,” he said.

“We are happy with how it looks, and we haven’t done too much to it during the growing stage,” he said.

Andrew said other corn crops in the area were also looking good and had benefited from the recent warm weather.

He said the corn was not only a good stand-alone crop, but it would enable the rotations for the upcoming winter cropping season.

“We will grow winter wheat and canola,” he said.

Only limited rain has fallen in Kyabram in the past month with a total of 18mm recorded. Andrew said some rain would help to germinate weeds so spraying could take place in preparation for sowing winter crop.