Sweet Corn
Zea mays var. saccharata
- Days to harvest
- 70–100 days
- Sunlight
- 6–10 hours/day
- Watering
- 1–1 per day
- Plant spacing
- 30 cm
- Minimum container size
- 40cm deep × 40cm wide
- Container-friendly
- 1 plants per container
- Estimated yield
- 200 kg / 100m²
- Life span
- annual
Climate Requirements
- Ideal temperature
- 25-32 °C
- Annual rainfall
- 1500-2500 mm
- Humidity
- 60-80%
- Heat tolerance
- high
- Drought tolerance
- moderate
Soil & Planting
Planting method
Direct seeding in rows
Soil requirements
Fertile, well-drained soil
Companion Plants
- Edamamestrong
Edamame/soybean N-fixation can supply 40–80 kg N/ha equivalent to corn when intercropped at 1:1 row ratio; corn stalks provide wind shelter for edamame pods; reduces production cost for both
- Long Beanstrong
Long bean nitrogen fixation directly feeds adjacent sweet corn rows; classic intercrop in Sabah and Pahang smallholder farms
- Pumpkinstrong
Three Sisters: pumpkin ground cover suppresses weeds and retains soil moisture around corn
- Groundnut / Peanutstrong
Groundnut fixes nitrogen for corn; provides ground cover between corn rows
Plants to Avoid Nearby
- Cherry Tomato
Both are heavy feeders; severe nitrogen and phosphorus competition in shared beds; tomato also competes with corn for height and light; corn pollen can also cause tomato flowering disruption
Common Pests & Diseases
Safety Notes
Bt corn varieties available for organic pest management. Monitor for stem borer — use pheromone traps. Excessive nitrogen fertiliser reduces grain quality. Observe 7-day PHI for ear worm treatments.
Market Demand
High; pasar malam staple
Regional Notes
Plant in blocks for pollination
Sources
- MARDI Field Crops Research 2024 — Malaysian Agricultural Research and Development Institute · Last reviewed: 2024-06-01
Wikimedia Commons, Public Domain
Category: Cereals