CORN Newsletter: 2009-31, September 15, 2009

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C.O.R.N Newsletter 2009-31
September 15, 2009 - September 21, 2009

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Cooler Temperatures and Crop Maturity - Any Possible Problems This Fall?
by Robert Mullen, Peter Thomison


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Analysis of this year’s growing season temperatures reveals that we have been a little behind on growing degree day (GDD) accumulation this summer. The extent of GDD deficit does depend upon your geographic region however. Northwest Ohio has not really been behind on GDDs at all this year (from May 1 to the present). Northeast and Western Ohio is a little over 200 GDDs behind this year. The deficit observed is really noticeable from early July to today. Until mid-July, GDD accumulation was tracking right with long-term averages. Since mid-July, GDD accumulation has been behind significantly as a result of cooler than average temperatures.

Couple the cooler summer with late planting dates due to a wet spring and one starts to wonder about corn and soybean harvest this fall. Are we likely to be delayed? Absolutely. There is evidence of this in Northwest Ohio where corn silage harvest has been delayed. So should we be concerned about an early killing frost? In some geographic regions absolutely. Should you be concerned about your corn? (Will your corn achieve physiological maturity (black layer) before the first killing frost?) It likely depends upon when silking occurred.

Dr. Bob Nielsen noted in a recent Purdue Pest and Crop Newsletter that the 2009 growing season bears some strong similarities to 1992 in terms of GDD accumulation. Based on results of a Purdue-Ohio State University study conducted in 1992, for planting dates where silking occurred late July, kernel black layer formation occurred by 21 September. When silking occurred in early August, kernel black layer occurred by 11 October. Where silking occurred about mid-August, kernel black layer formation was complete by 27 October, but occurred 10 to 14 days AFTER a killing freeze event. All of the earlier silking dates (late July and early August) successfully reached kernel black layer prior to a killing freeze.

Data from a study conducted in 2006 and 2007 at the Northwest Research Station revealed that late planted corn (as late as mid-June) could reach full maturity even when GDD accumulation was below average. In both years the first “killing frost” was not experienced until mid to late October. Would our observations have been changed if the killing frost had occurred sooner – maybe? In addition to dealing with high grain moisture at harvest, growers also need to recognize the potential for increased stalk lodging if they plan to rely heavily on field drying. In 2007, stalk lodging in late planted corn averaged over 40%, whereas lodging in early planting lodged less than 8%.

Reference

Nielsen, R.L. 2009. Cool Days, Cold Nights, Slow Corn, What's Next?
URL: http://www.kingcorn.org/news/articles.09/CropProgress-0901.html

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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.

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