There are some tipsy looking corn crops out there this year and if farmers aren’t carefully checking for rot, stormy weather could fall many stalks before they reach harvest.A high stress year increases plant susceptibility to stalk rots, and although many hybrids have enough rind strength to maintain standability regardless of rot, the rind alone can’t always withstand high winds and heavy rains. A push or pinch test will help to determine if stalks can handle adverse weather. If 10%-15% of plants lodged, or are rotted, harvest the crop early.Where fields have already lodged experts recommend slowing the combine down to speeds of 3km/h, reducing fan speed accordingly, allowing gathering snouts to float along the ground, and (in worse case scenarios) harvest in a single direction against the lean of the stalks. Unfortunately, ensuring a profitable harvest may require extra patience this year.

Many people have been prepared for low yield this fall but surprisingly, early reports suggest grain corn quality might be more of an issue than the quantity.Field crop specialists at OMAFRA have started to issue warnings to watch for ear rots in grain corn. Early detection of Fusarium has already been confirmed in some locations. Where harvest is in full swing to the south, agronomists are also offering similar reports. They warn that the Fusarium fungus thrives in drought stressed silking and post-pollination conditions. Experts on both sides of the border suspect silk cut kernels as the potential instigator of the problem this year.Crop scouts and farmers who are seeing infected silk cuts on at least 10% of the field are advised to harvest corn as early as possible, (25-27% moisture is ideal) and dry the grain below 15% quickly.