In many areas of the Corn Belt, the crop quality ratings are above average and better. But not everyone is experiencing that type of crop quality this season, especially those growers dealing with extreme amounts of rain.
Ken Ferrie, Farm Journal Field Agronomist, references corn growers in southern Minnesota who have dealt with 17 inches-plus of rainfall recently. Some growers in northern Iowa, parts of Wisconsin and in those areas where rivers have flooded over their banks are struggling as well.
“I can hear it in your voices on the phone, and I see it in your emails – the frustration, the anxiety that you’re going through,” Ferrie says in his latest Boots In The Field podcast.
“Some of you are starting to talk about throwing in the towel on this crop. I can tell you from many years of experience in this business, we never walk away from a growing crop. Hang in there and fight the battle; it will be worth it,” he encourages.
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Extremely Uneven Crop Growth
Ferrie says growers in heavy moisture areas are seeing a lot of yellowing, short or stunted corn as well as a crop that’s very uneven.
“With near-saturated soils, the short, yellow corn of a different height but in the same growth stage and similar number of collars has a much higher possibility of putting on ears and producing grain,” he says.
“However, when we have V7 corn a foot taller than V4 corn, the short corn will not put on an ear. What I’m saying is this corn is under stress and some yield has been lost. But it still has potential to come back from this stress.”
As proof, he references central Illinois farmers’ similar setbacks last year, in 2023, when extreme heat stress practically fried the corn crop.
“Many growers here were ready to throw in the towel last year as June burned up our crop. But we saw a tremendous rebound in that crop,” he recalls. “That was true even in the fields where cover crop issues locked that corn up for weeks.”
Three Next-Step Considerations As Corn Pollinates
A lot of corn is going into pollination this week, and Ferrie says growers can expect their green corn over tile to tassel first, with yellowing corn to be about five to 10 days behind. As a result of the uneven growth and pollination, several things concern him that he wants farmers to consider.
1. The first issue to address could be silk clippers. “This is a problem when it comes to silk clippers like rootworm beetle and Japanese beetle, because they’re feeding on fresh pollen,” Ferrie says. “They’ll travel the plants that have fresh pollen, meaning a small number of beetles can be a problem because they keep moving to the next plant as it drops pollen. We need all this corn to pollinate, we need it to produce as long of ears as we can get.”
He recommends evaluating potential for an ROI from spraying silk clippers. Consult with your retailer or crop protection representative for additional direction.
2. Tar spot is beginning to show up, so be aware of what’s happening in your field. The second issue that concerns Ferrie is the potential farmers in the water-saturated areas will possibly have with tar spot, which can decimate a crop quickly.
“You may be forced to spray early for the tar spot if infestation starts at the bottom of the plant,” he says. “But you may be able to get the first round of tar spot and the beetles in one shot.”
3. Consider doing some nitrate testing. “Some, maybe most of this yellow corn is yellow because of a lack of oxygen,” Ferrie says. “This tends to be worse in corn-on-corn because the microbes use up a lot of oxygen, decomposing last year’s stocks. I suspect when it dries out and oxygen returns, this yellow will go away.”
Be aware, he says, that adding nitrogen to yellow corn deprived of oxygen will not turn the crop green.
“Once it dries up, my recommendation is to pull some nitrate tests and check for both nitrates and ammonium. Check it over the tile lines and compare it to where the short yellow corn was,” he advises. “If we lose too much, we will need to come back with some more nitrogen –30 to 40 pounds per acre – either with high-clearance equipment or airplanes.”
The goal is to feed that crop so it doesn’t run out of nitrogen going into August. Being proactive to feed the crop can payoff.
“After 15.6 inches of rain fell here in June of 2015, we saw a 60-bushel response to our airplanes when we applied rescue N here in central Illinois,” Ferrie recalls.
For growers who have an issue with tar spot, Ferrie offers some additional direction.
“Depending on the rain and the humidity, you may need a second shot of a fungicide for tar spot. We would suggest coming out of the gate with that first spray using a fungicide with multiple modes of action, a longer-lasting product. Then, come back that second time with probably a generic to help you finish out the season.”
Consider Hybrid Types
The type of hybrids planted will make a significant difference in what kind of performance growers can anticipate, moving forward after pollination. Ferrie adds.
“The hybrids that we call a G or L1 – that flex ear size early – have no doubt given up some potential, but they will gain some back in kernel depth,” he says.
“The hybrids that gain a lot of yield in late-season through length and especially depth of kernel, what we call the L2 or D hybrids, it is still game on for these hybrids. The good news is most of the hybrids being planted up there (in those areas hit by extreme moisture) are D hybrids. Stay in the fight,” he encourages.
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