Field Preparation and Planting Corn (Zea mays)

Corn (Zea mays) is an essential global crop, producing billions of bushels per year for food, feed, fiber, and fuel production. Field preparation and planning for planting maize are essential to the success of spring planting and an equally successful summer growing season. This protocol is aimed to help the researcher with field preparation, organizing the field before planting, hand planting, machine planting, and early season field assessments (i.e., scouting). When growing corn in the greenhouse or growth chamber, procedures may differ, especially regarding pest control, watering, and fertilization practices. This protocol serves as a guide based on organizing a maize nursery for research purposes and may slightly differ based on available machinery and weather conditions.