High Performance Through Summer.

Maize is an essential summer crop across Nelson–Tasman and Marlborough, where typically warm, reliable summers support excellent dry matter production. As a key summer crop in these regions, maize performs consistently, particularly where irrigation supports growth through drier periods.

Maize is primarily grown for silage, providing a dependable, high-quality, high-energy feed source for dairy systems and helping maintain consistent feed supply through the peak of the season.

Beyond its value as a reliable, high quality feed source, maize plays an important role in overall farm system performance. It helps manage pasture deficits during dry periods, improves soil structure and organic matter, and can act as an effective break crop to help reduce weed pressure.

In This Region, Hybrid Selection Is Typically Driven By:

  • Achieving consistent yield through warm growing seasons
  • Matching maturity to available growing conditions
  • Maintaining performance under variable moisture availability
  • Supporting irrigation and dryland production systems

Regional Hybrid Choices

PAC 011

Silage Maize Hybrid
CRM 76
PAC maize hybrid

PAC 011 is an early maturing silage hybrid well suited to Upper South Island conditions, where reliable maturity and harvest timing are important. It provides strong dry matter production for its maturity, making it a dependable option for consistent silage supply in shorter or variable growing seasons.

  • Early maturing silage hybrid suited to Upper South Island environments
  • Tall, leafy plant with long ears supporting dry matter production
  • Reliable option where early harvest timing is required
  • Very high yield potential for its maturity
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PAC 081

Silage & Grain Maize Hybrid
Silage CRM 79 / Grain CRM 86
PAC maize hybrid

PAC 081 is a very early maturing hybrid that provides flexibility in systems where early harvest or moisture management is important. It offers a strong balance of silage yield and grain potential, making it well suited to both irrigated and more variable environments.

  • Very early maturing dual-purpose hybrid suited to flexible systems
  • Strong silage yield with reliable grain content for its maturity
  • Supports early harvest and moisture management strategies
  • Excellent test weight grain suitable for food-grade markets
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PAC 007

Silage & Grain Maize Hybrid
Silage CRM 81 / Grain CRM 88
PAC maize hybrid

PAC 007 is a consistent, dual-purpose hybrid suited to environments where reliable yield and strong establishment are important. It performs well under a range of conditions, making it a dependable option across irrigated and dryland systems.

  • Excellent yield stability across variable seasonal conditions
  • Large, bulky plant with strong early growth for reliable establishment
  • Very good stalk and root strength supporting standability
  • Well-filled, girthy ears with high test weight grain
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Maize Cob

To learn more about our full range of maize hybrid options use our seed selector tool

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Regional Considerations

Nelson-Tasman

Maize production in Nelson–Tasman benefits from warm spring conditions that allow for earlier planting and strong early crop development. Timing is important to maximise the available growing season and ensure crops reach target maturity.

Hybrid selection should focus on strong early vigour, appropriate maturity (CRM) and consistent performance across variable soil conditions.

Marlborough

Maize production in Marlborough is strongly influenced by irrigation and soil moisture availability, with dry conditions and increasing climate variability playing a key role in crop performance. Reliable moisture through establishment and flowering is critical to achieving consistent yields.

Hybrid selection should prioritise drought resilience, appropriate maturity (CRM) and the ability to perform under variable moisture conditions.

Matching CRM and hybrid characteristics to your local climate and end use ensures consistent performance.

Regional Faqs

Successful maize establishment begins once soil temperatures consistently reach around 10-12°C at planting depth. In Nelson-Tasman, planting should occur as early as conditions allow to maximise the growing season while avoiding cold, wet soils that can reduce emergence and early vigour. Earlier planting enables crops to intercept more sunlight throughout the season and achieve higher yield potential. Hybrids such as PAC 144, PAC 249 and PAC 314 perform well when planted into favourable early-season conditions.
Irrigation plays a major role in Marlborough, where low summer rainfall and high evapotranspiration can significantly limit yield. Maintaining adequate soil moisture during flowering and grain fill is critical for achieving maximum dry matter production and starch accumulation. Under irrigation, longer-season hybrids such as PAC 144, PAC 298, and PAC 314 can fully express their yield potential, while drought-tolerant AriDapt® hybrids provide additional security where water availability is limited.
Dryland systems benefit from hybrids that establish quickly, tolerate moisture stress and maintain performance during dry periods. AriDapt® hybrids, including PAC 119, PAC 298, and PAC 314, have been bred for improved resilience under water-limited conditions. Irrigated systems can take advantage of higher-yielding mid to full-season hybrids such as PAC 144, PAC 298, PAC 314, which deliver exceptional dry matter and grain yields when moisture is not limiting.
The primary challenges include low summer rainfall, variable soil moisture, irrigation management and seasonal temperature fluctuations. Wind can also increase moisture loss and place additional stress on crops. Selecting drought-tolerant hybrids with strong root systems and matching CRM to the available growing season helps reduce production risk and improve consistency.
Yes. Maize silage provides a dependable source of high-energy feed when pasture growth declines during hot, dry summers. Producing maize on-farm helps improve feed security, reduces reliance on purchased supplements and supports livestock performance throughout periods of pasture shortage.
Most growers achieve the best balance of yield and harvest reliability using early to mid-season hybrids (approximately 80-101 CRM). Hybrids such as PAC 007 (81 CRM), PAC 081 (79 CRM), PAC 144 (94 CRM), PAC 298 (95 CRM), and PAC 314 (101 CRM) generally mature reliably while making the most of the available growing season. Longer-season hybrids may suit warmer irrigated sites where harvest timing is less restrictive.
Maize is an excellent rotational crop that provides opportunities for weed control, nutrient management and soil improvement before returning paddocks to pasture or another crop. Matching hybrid maturity to the planned rotation ensures sufficient time for post-harvest cultivation and establishment of the following crop.

Contact Us

For advice on silage maize systems in Nelson–Tasman & Marlborough, or to discuss maize for grain options, contact your local Corson Maize Sales Agronomist to match the right hybrid to your farm system and production goals.

 

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