Which Cornfield Do You Prioritize First?

   With this year’s drought conditions, it’s important to consider corn stalk integrity challenges so you can prioritize which fields to harvest first.

    “In times of drought, there’s more cannibalization within the plant,” said Dennis Klockenga, a crops specialist with ProfitProAG. “It’s important to assess what areas of your field
could go down, due to weak stalks. This will help you prioritize harvest of fields and will help reduce harvest loss of compromised corn.”

    Corn in lighter, sandier soils will likely be the most susceptible to poor stalk integrity in drought conditions, Klockenga added.

    The push test is an easy way to recognize plant weakness. Push corn plants in various parts of your fields at approximately 30 degrees. If 10% of the stalks kink or break, that field should be prioritized for harvest. If there are different hybrids in a field,
be sure to check 10 to 20 plants of each hybrid, Klockenga noted.

    Also, use the pinch test. Use your thumb and index finger to pinch the bottom of the cornstalk and check for any stalk integrity issues. “If the plant tissue is soft, stalk integrity is lacking,” Klockenga
said.

    Like the push test, if 10% of the stalks fail the pinch test, then that field should be prioritized for harvest. “You should harvest these fields first, even if the moisture level in the corn is higher, compared
to other fields,” Klockenga said.