Top 10 Tips From The Corn Expert ▪ Jeff Pangle

THE "BACK TO FRONT" APPROACH TO RAISING CORN

TIP 1 ▪ HARVEST/DELIVERY

The decision to plant corn, starts with harvest/delivery. Being able to dry and store your corn, will keep you in control of your own destiny during harvest. Long truck lines and wide harvest basis can take the fun out of corn harvest. Many times growers with storage can realize $1.00/bu swing from the harvest market to an early winter market.

• Buy, lease, borrow or share corn header.
• Have bins ready or elevator arrangements made.
• Know where you will deliver your corn.

TIP 2 ▪ MARKETING

Marketing is generally what makes or breaks our production year. Growers are very good about producing a crop, but sometimes struggle with a quality marketing plan. There are so many factors in this decision that it is very difficult to keep up with the marketing process. Use a quality marketing source as needed. Set realistic objectives and execute your plan throughout the year.

• Set realistic marketing objectives.
• Execute your marketing plan.

TIP 3 ▪ DRYING

On farm drying of corn will make you money! If you are going to be in the corn production business, you need a dryer on the farm for several reasons. A timely harvest at higher moisture will allow you to get the corn crop out before a storm blows it down. It will allow you to move on to other crop harvest more quickly. It will also increase your yield. Most often, the yield gain of reducing harvest loss on grain that is 15-16% moisture will more than pay for the drying.

• On-farm drying needs to be done quickly.
• Compare harvest losses on field dried corn against moisture discounts on 18% corn.

TIP 4 ▪ IRRIGATION

Irrigation and irrigation timing can make or break the potential of our corn crop. A missed early irrigation on knee high corn (V6 – V8) can reduce kernel rows. Missed irrigations of chest high corn (V9 – V12) can reduce the kernels per row. During pollination and flowering, corn will use over 2 inches of water per week during peak demand. Heat is generally not as much of a yield reducer as moisture stress. A corn plant that is well watered will be able to cool itself off thru evapotranspiration. A 1 inch rain should not be a reason to stop the irrigation. Use this opportunity to saturate the soil and catch up on sub moisture. Water all the way thru to black layer development. DON'T OVERLOAD a pivot. Large pivots can't keep up during peak water demand without help from rainfall.

• Monitor water use at different stages of the crop. (Peak demand requires 2" of water per week).
• Irrigate all the way through "black layer" development

TIP 5 ▪ INSECT CONTROL

Insect control can encompass many parts of the crop life cycle. At planting, we need to use seed insecticides (Cruiser 250, Pancho 250 etc) to protect the seedling from chinch bugs, wire worms, seed corn maggots and other inground insects. A banded application of a pyrethroid at planting will help with cutworm control, particularly if you are planting into residue. We also need to monitor southwestern moth traps to properly time our mid season application of Intrepid on our refuge (RR) corn hybrids. VT3PRO will reduce the refuge requirements from 50% to 20%.

• Use insecticide treated seed.
• Band a pyrethroid for cutworm control.
• Apply Intrepid to non Bt corn.

TIP 6 ▪ WEED CONTROL

Weed control is pretty general unless there are specific weed problems. Start "clean" with tillage or a burndown either on no till or stale seedbed. Most programs start with a combination of Roundup and Atrazine. The Roundup trait does as much on the "defense" against drift as it does for corn weed control. Weed resistance issues may demand changes in the recipe, but the goal is the same – season long control with an early post, one pass application applied when the corn is 6" tall.

• Use combination of grass and broadleaf chemicals.

TIP 7 ▪ PROPER PLANTING

Proper planting of the corn seen is 90% of the battle in corn production. Top corn production is based on the maximum number of plants for the production system and uniform spacing and emergence of those plants. There are many factors for determining the proper seed population – row spacing, twin row, fertility levels, production potential, irrigation type, ear type (flex or fixed), harvest moisture goal, etc. All these factors affect the proper plant population. Seeding depth is critical. Seed should be planted at a depth of 2 inches and uniformly placed into the soil. Planting should be determined by soil temperature and short term weather forecasts. We can begin planting corn when the soil temperature is 50 degrees at a depth of 2 inches at 9:00 in the morning. We would also prefer a warming trend for the next 10 days.

• Planting depth of 2".
• Timing based on soil temperature 50°F.
• Optimum plant population.
• Uniform kernel spacing.

TIP 8 ▪ FERTILITY

A corn fertility program can be based on yield potential in combination with soil sampling results. Corn uses approximately 1.2 units of N and K per bushel of yield goal and .5 units of P per bushel of yield. A 200 bu corn crop will use 240 units of N and K and 100 units of P. Commercial fertilizer can be used to balanced crop needs with the soil test results. Don't short the K. Potash is key component for stalk health. Generally ½ to 1/3 of the N will be applied preplant with the balance being applied sidedress before V6 (knee high). Nitrogen applications can be adjusted as needed all through early tasseling.

• Match N rates with yield goals.
• Soil test for application rates of P & K.
• Proper timing and rate of sidedress N.
• Pre tassel N adjustment if needed.

TIP 9 ▪ HYBRID SELECTION/TRAIT PACKAGE

Hybrid selection and trait package is a key component for corn production. There are many good hybrids on the market today. Seed companies are working hard to bring good genetics, agronomics and traits to the market. Growers have lots of options. Look for products with a solid track record in your area. Don't chase the "homerun" hitters unless you know exactly where to position them for best performance. Watch for steady, consistent performing products. Balance hybrid maturity with your farm needs depending on the harvest demands of other crops. Spread out maturity to take advantage of early harvest and to avoid the whole crop being ready at the same time.

• Yield, maturity, technology traits.
• Hybrid agronomics and crop rotations.
• Total plant performance.

TIP 10 ▪ FIELD SELECTION/PREPARATION

Field selection and preparation for corn is critical. Corn needs to be on well drain soils – both externally and internally. While there are some hybrids that produce well on heavier soil types, the most productive corn soils will be the medium to lighter soils. Flat planting on non irrigated or pivot irrigated fields is acceptable, IF the soil has good drainage. Flat soils will warm slower than bedded ground, so take that into consideration at planting. Bedded ground works perfect with the furrow irrigation systems and gets the corn up out of standing water when we have wet springs. When possible, apply P and K in the fall and bed up. Use a fall herbicide program to stay clean and be ready to plant stale seedbed in the spring.

• Irrigated fields are preferred.
• Good drainage is mandatory.
• Bed up in the fall.

Always follow grain marketing and IRM requirements and pesticide label directions. B.t. traited products may not be registered in all states. Check with your seed representative for registration status in your area. Acceleron™, Acceleron and Design™, Genuity™, Genuity and Design™, Genuity Icons, Processor Preferred and Design®, Roundup®, Roundup Ready®, Roundup Ready 2 Technology and Design™, VT Triple PRO™, YieldGard®, YieldGard VT and Design®, YieldGard VT Rootworm/RR2®, and YieldGard VT Triple® are trademarks of Monsanto Technology LLC. Respect the Refuge and Corn Design® is a registered trademark of National Corn Growers Association. All other trademarks are the property of their respective owners. ©2009 Monsanto Company. Belle™ and Southern to the Cob™ is a trademark of Cullum Seeds, LLC.