Brazil: Corn exceeds 55% of the area planned for the 2023-24 harvest in Rio Grande do Sul

The area sown with corn in Rio Grande do Sul reached 55% of the cultivation projection for the 2023-24 harvest, which is 817,521 hectares. The crops are predominantly in the germination and vegetative development phase. According to Emater-RS, the West, Northwest and North regions of the state are close to completing sowing. However, in the South, Central and Northeast regions, planting progress was hampered by rain, which caused waterlogging and excess moisture in the soil. These conditions made the transit of agricultural machinery unfeasible and, in some cases, negatively affected seed germination. In the administrative region of Emater-RS of Ijuí, established corn crops show excellent development, with rapid emission of new leaves and vigorous stalk growth. There was an increase in the growth rate due to warmer days. Adequate soil moisture allowed producers to distribute nitrogen fertilizer in top dressing. Most producers choose to split the recommended dose in coverage twice: ...