Pests A variety of pests are encountered. Palatability Excellent for all green matter. Tolerance to flooding Maize has no tolerance to flooding. The needs for maize are best determined by soil tests. It generally requires a complete fertilizer, with heavy demands from about 40 days until maturity.
Zinc deficiency causes leaf chlorosis and can easily be overcome by the use of zinc sulphate.
Compatibility with other grasses and legumes To improve the nutritive value of forage, legumes such as cowpea can be planted between rows of maize. Lablab purpureus is used in Brazil. Grass seed can be undersown in maize as a means of establishment. Economics Maize is a major human food grain in Africa and in eastern Indonesia. Some 85 percent of the maize crop in the United States is fed to livestock as grain and silage.