Ty Coch Project Update - August 2025

What has been done?

Following planting, it has been a very dry summer and the maize has not been growing as we had hoped. 

Tissue tests were undertaken at the start of June to check for nutrient deficiencies. The results showed a deficiency in Magnesium as seen in Figure 1 below. 

Figure 1. Analysis of Maize June 2025. 

Analysis

Result

Guideline

Interpretation

Comments

Nitrogen* (%)

4.63

3.5

Normal

Adequate level.

Phosphorus* (%)

0.57

0.35

Normal

Adequate level.

Potassium* (%)

3.85

3

Normal

Adequate level.

Calcium* (%)

0.39

0.3

Normal

Adequate level.

Magnesium* (%)

0.18

0.25

Low

PRIORITY FOR TREATMENT.

Sulphur* (%)

0.26

0.1

Normal

Adequate level.

Boron* (ppm)

4.6

7

Low

Low priority. See comments below.

Copper* (ppm)

7

7

Normal

Adequate level.

Iron* (ppm)

445

75

Normal

Adequate level.

Manganese* (ppm)

73.8

40

Normal

Adequate level.

Molybdenum* (ppm)

0.48

0.2

Normal

Adequate level.

Zinc* (ppm)

41.9

30

Normal

Adequate level.

Following analysis, the crop was sprayed with Croplift pro which contains magnesium. A control area was left untreated for comparison. 

Following spraying and some much-needed rain, the crop visually looked better. Further tissue tests were undertaken a week after spraying. The crop was showing to be low in most nutrients. The Sulphur, Magnesium and Manganese were very low and Zinc and Nitrogen were slightly low. The Calcium was very low but not considered a priority for this crop.

We decided to focus our efforts on rectifying the nutrients that were tested to be very low. The field was sprayed around 10 July with -

Mancozin - 1.25l/ha (supplies the Manganese and Zinc)
Efficient N - 20l/ha (supplies the Nitrogen)
Epsotop - 5kg/ha (supplies Magnesium and Sulphur)

What's next?

The field was tested again on 10 August (the treated plot and the untreated plot) and we are awaiting results.