CORN
Crop Observation and Recommendation Network

December 10, 2001 to January 7, 2002
C.O.R.N. 2001-39

In This Issue:

A) Please Tell Us How You Use C.O.R.N.
B) Impact Of Corn Borer On Ohio Corn Yields In 2001
C) 2001 Ohio Weather And Disease Situation
D) Risk of Terrorism to Ohio's Crop Industry
E) Not To Late To Register For Regional Agronomy Meetings
F) Last Corn Issue For 2001

A) Please Tell Us How You Use C.O.R.N. - Greg La Barge, Steve Prochaska CORN Questions

It has been a pleasure for the Agronomic Crops Team at The Ohio State University to provide you with the Crop Observation and Recommendation Network (C.O.R.N.) newsletter over the past growing season. If you would take a few minutes to complete our on-line survey at http://corn.osu.edu/survey/ before December 31, it will help us to provide a quality product for your future.

B) Impact Of Corn Borer On Ohio Corn Yields In 2001 - Bruce Eisley CORN Questions

The 2001 growing season represented the fifth year of replicated trials comparing Bt- corn hybrids (specifically, three YieldGard Corn Borer hybrids) to equivalent isolines (without the Bt trait) at the OARDC Western and Northwestern Branch stations. Corn borer injury on the non-Bt isolines at the Western Branch station and Northwestern Branch station in 2001 remained low at 0.7 and 0.5 cavities per plant respectively when corn was planted in late April to early May. Because corn borer injury has historically been low at the Western Branch when corn was planted on a timely basis, a second later planting (May 30) was made at the Western Branch in 2001. Corn borer pressure was higher in this planting averaging 1.84 cavities per plant.

Average yields from the first planting at the Western Branch station were 185.6 for the YieldGard Corn Borer hybrids and 188.9 for the non-Bt isolines. Average yields from the second planting at the Western Branch station were 146.8 for the YieldGard Corn Borer hybrids and 138.8 for the non-Bt isolines. There were significant differences in yield between one of the hybrids and its isoline in both the first and second plantings at the Western Branch station. Average yields at the Northwestern Branch station were 131.6 for the YieldGard Corn Borer hybrids and 141.0 for the non-Bt isolines.

In addition to the trials at the branch stations, field trials with the same hybrids were conducted at seven county on-farm sites with the cooperation of OSU Extension agents and growers. Participants included Allen, Crawford, Fairfield, Fayette, Highland, Licking and Van Wert OSU Extension county programs. The county trials were not replicated except for Fayette (replicated 2 times) and Van Wert (replicated 3 times). Corn borer infestations of non-Bt isolines in the on-farm trials ranged from 0.37 to 2.12 cavities per plant.

In the on-farm trials, the difference in yield between the YieldGard Corn Borer hybrids and their non-Bt isolines averaged 4.0 bushels per acre. Yields of the YieldGard Corn Borer hybrids were higher at 4 of the seven locations this year. Where the non-Bt isolines out yielded the YieldGard Corn Borer hybrids, the yield difference was 2.4 bushels per acre on average. The Highland County site was not planted until June and had a 21.9 bushel yield advantage for the YieldGard Corn Borer hybrids.

Yields from the second planting at the Western Branch station and the Highland County site indicate that the YieldGard Corn Borer technology was favored by the later plantings this year.

C) 2001 Ohio Weather And Disease Situation - Mills CORN Questions

2001 year-in-review of weather conditions and field crop diseases is now available on the Ohio Field Crop Disease website (www.oardc.ohio-state.edu/ohiofieldcropdisease). Listed are weather trends in Ohio along with disease problems encountered in corn (Anthracnose, Northern corn leaf blight, Diplodia ear rot), wheat (powdery mildew, Stagonospora leaf blotch, Barley yellow dwarf, Fusarium head scab) and soybeans (Phytophthora root and stem rot, soybean cyst nematode, flooding injury, viruses).

D) Risk of Terrorism to Ohio's Crop Industry - Dr. Larry Madden, OARDC CORN Questions

The tragedy of September 11, and the subsequent anthrax infections, are cruel reminders that the US is vulnerable to attack by terrorists. There is also concern that crops and livestock are vulnerable to biological attack. Countries such as Iraq are known to have had large programs in developing biological weapons against crops such as wheat. Some officials in the US government have been worried about this threat for a while, but serious attention has only been paid since September 11. Unlike the case with animals, it is not clear which crop pathogens might be the most serious threats to crops. Work being done at Ohio State University by Larry Madden is attempting to help determine which pathogens are of greatest concern for Ohio and US farmers. Madden is developing risk assessment models, based on epidemiological theory, for evaluating potential threats.

The impact of a biological attack against crops would be economic, both in terms of reductions in yield and increased cost to control diseases. However, the probability of any one grower, or even a food consumer, being impacted is very low. It is a legitimate responsibility of the government to protect the country from attacks such as this. In terms of protecting our crops, there is little growers need to do that they are not already doing in terms of sound disease management practices.

E) Not To Late To Register For Regional Agronomy Meetings CORN Questions

The December Regioanl Agronomy meetings start next week. An excellent agenda along with credits for CCA and Pesticide Applicator Training can be obtained at each. Early registration ends one week prior to the meetings and cost $15. But call ahead and reserve your spot at the door for only $20 still a bargain.

December 18, 2001
Henry Co., Deshler
Bavarian Haus
St. Rt. 18, 2 miles west of Deshler
Host Agent: Alan Sundermeier
419-592-0806
sundermeier.5@osu.edu

December 19, 2001
Marion Co., Waldo
All Occasion Catering
Corner of SR 47 & SR 229
(south edge of Waldo)
Host Agent: Steve Ruhl
419-947-1070
ruhl.1@osu.edu

December 19, 2001
Champaign Co., Urbana
Champaign Co. Community Center - Auditorium
1512 S. U.S. Highway 68
937/652-2204
ward.8@osu.edu

December 20, 2001
Muskingum Co., Dresden
Dresden United Methodist Church
1014 Main Street
Host Agent: Mark Mechling
740-454-0144
mechling.1@osu.edu

F) Last Corn Issue For 2001 CORN Questions

Readers can subscribe electronically to this newsletter by sending an e-mail message to: corn-out-on@postoffice.ag.ohio-state.edu. A successful subscription message will receive by an automatic reply from the listserv. Contact your local Ohio State University Extension Office or e-mail labarge.1@osu.edu if you have problems subscribing.

Past versions of C.O.R.N. can be found on the World Wide Web at: http:/www.ag.ohio-state.edu/~corn/archive/

C.O.R.N. is a summary of crop observations, related information, and appropriate recommendations for Ohio Crop Producers and Industry. C.O.R.N. is produced by the Ohio State University Extension Agronomy Team, State Specialists at The Ohio State University and Ohio Agricultural Research and Development Center. C.O.R.N. Questions are directed to State Specialists, Extension Associates, and Agents associated with Ohio State University Extension and the Ohio Agricultural Research and Development Center at The Ohio State University.

Editor: Greg La Barge        Web Editor: Tom Rosati

Information presented above and where trade names are used, they are supplied with the understanding that no discrimination is intended and no endorsement by Ohio State University Extension is implied. Although every attempt is made to produce information that is complete, timely, and accurate, the pesticide user bears responsibility of consulting the pesticide label and adhering to those directions.

All educational programs conducted by Ohio State University Extension are available to clientele on a nondiscriminatory basis without regard to race, color, creed, religion, sexual orientation, national origin, gender, age, disability or Vietnam-era veteran status.

Issued in furtherance of Cooperative Extension work, Acts of May 8 and June 30, 1914, in cooperation with the U.S. Department of Agriculture, Keith L. Smith, Director, Ohio State University Extension.

TDD # 1 (800) 589-8292 (Ohio only) or (614) 292-1868

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