As if 2025 hasn’t thrown farmers enough curveballs for one growing season, corn harvest in the Midwest is setting up to be a tricky affair as well.
Iowa State Extension digital agriculture specialist Doug Houser says it’s been “a long time” since he’s witnessed a corn crop set farmers up for such a difficult harvest season.
The reason for Houser’s concern heading into fall harvest is the remarkable levels of disease pressure that scouts and farmers have noted in corn fields across the country.
He says farmers need to get out and scout fields with a drone (if they have a Part 107 pilot’s certification) so they can get a full picture of just how much disease has taken hold, and then prioritize the fields where they need to get the crop off to avoid fallen plants or additional yield loss.
Moisture variability within fields is also something Houser is worried could trip up some harvester crews this fall.
“I see a lot of fields that have corn and it’s dry, and then in other parts of the field it’s wet,” he says. “It might be a situation where we have to go one way and pick again. I’m not trying to throw the scare tactics out there, but we just have to get prepared for this harvest.”
Houser has five combine settings adjustments he advises farmers to dial in each time they start harvesting a new field:
- Rotor/Cylinder Speed: Many fields will require a reduction in combine rotor speed to minimize harvest losses, he says. The moisture swings within individual fields will mean varying kernel test weights, and higher-moisture kernels that are soft will be prone to cracking.
- Concave Settings: Houser thinks it might be prudent this year to set your concaves a little wider than you normally would, because soft, high-moisture kernels will often crack more easily with narrow concave spacings.
- Fan Settings: Houser says to be very diligent here making your adjustments, because the lighter test weight kernels will want to float backward. You might have to visually inspect the rear of the combine to ensure you’re not throwing kernels out the back end with your residue spreader.
- Sieve and Chafer: Start with a wider sieve opening and adjust down from there. The higher moisture, disease-ridden corn leaves have a tendency to gum up and plug up the sieve.
- Ground Speed: This is a recommendation a lot of farmers won’t be too happy to heed, but harvesting at slower speeds this fall can help reduce losses. Southern rust and other foliar corn diseases often lead to weak stalks, which increases your risk of lodging.
“I keep saying it, but it’s so important to prioritize those fields [with high disease pressure]. Get those off as soon as you can,” Houser says. “The fields where we’re seeing stalk deterioration, we want to make sure we get those off in a timely manner. I know a lot of producers will say ‘Well, yeah, but Doug, [what about] the drying costs?’ My answer there would be if we don’t get it into the bin in the first place, that’s not going to help either.”
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