Early-season frost damage is a stressful physiological event that can slow plant development. The net impact of early-season frost will depend on the health of the plant before the frost, the extent and duration of the freezing temperatures, and the growing environment following the frost.

The planter pass is the most important pass of the season. It sets the stage for everything else. Equally important is the time spent doing planter maintenance, prep, and set up. Each planter or row unit manufacturer has specific guidelines as to how to set and adjust specific equipment, so always reference the owner’s manual, but the following holds true for most planting implements.

Farming at a profit is more challenging when grain prices are low. Producers with owned ground and sound management can likely farm at a profit albeit at a narrower margin than previous years. Producers shelling out high cash rents will find it more difficult to operate at a profit even with sound management. Many paying high cash rent will operate at a loss. This is especially true if looking at profitability in a “site-specific” manner — considering profit/loss variability across a field or operation.

When a farmer ends up with damaged grain at harvest, the best thing to do is sell it as quickly as possible. However, sometimes due to the obligation to fulfill contracts or the ability to utilize bin space to capture carry in the market, it becomes necessary to store damaged grain.

There are numerous stalk rots that affect corn in mid to late season. Weather, nutrition and genetic disease tolerance all play major parts in the disease cycle. Plants move nutrients from the stalks to the ears during grain fill. High yields mean heavier ears. These two phenomena combined can make stalk quality issues a problem even in very high-yielding areas.

Tar Spot is a new phenomenon in the US. It is caused by a fungus called Phyllachora maydis, native to Central America. Tar Spot had only been identified in very isolated geographies in the U.S. until the summer of 2018. In Central America, the yield-robbing form of Tar Spot forms a complex with two other plant pathogens, neither of which have been documented in the U.S. It is unknown whether the Tar Spot organism is forming a pathogenic complex with other species present in the Midwest. 

We are having a particularly wet harvest in many areas. Keep an eye out for deteriorating grain quality. Here’s a good reference guide from Steve Gauck on ear molds in corn.

It's pollination time in Southern Indiana and this agronomy update is all about checking how well your corn is pollinating.

Check out this agronomy update to see how our 15 in. row population study is progressing at our PFR research plot in Murray, Kentucky!

Data has shown that the best time to apply fungicides on soybeans is at the R3 growth stage.