Channel Field Check Up Series: Pre-harvest field evaluations key to greater yields

As the growing season progresses to the maturity stage, it’s a good time to evaluate the crop and consider your harvest plans.

Many farmers approach harvest pragmatically. For instance, they might consider the logistics of moving machinery. They might analyze the distance to haul grain or harvest a landlord’s fields first.

Harvesting a crop based on logistics isn’t a bad strategy. However, if your goal is to harvest as many corn bushels as possible, it’s important to evaluate the plant’s late-season appearance in each field.

Many Illinois farmers experienced near ideal conditions, but there are areas in the state that have had very little moisture this year. Our team of Channel Seedsmen are on the lookout for disease pathogens that can stress corn plants and significantly reduce yield areas with the disease triangle present.

Tar spot, gray leaf spot and northern corn leaf blight are primary foliar disease pathogens our Seedsmen are looking for. Anthracnose stalk rot and other stalk diseases could affect plant appearance as grain fill progresses.

The 2022 season posed many challenges to Illinois farmers. When evaluating fields pre-harvest, check stalks for deterioration by splitting the stalks and evaluating the nodes.

This could give an early indicator of stalk rots that are present or will be more likely to begin. Prioritize fields that were stressed early in the season or ones that have large yield potential as the nutrient demands to fill those ears are large.

Channel Seedsmen use the push test and the pinch test to evaluate plant standability during the maturity stage. For both tests, sample 20 plants in five representative field locations.

If 10% to 15% of the plants fail either test, the field is at risk for severe stalk lodging and should be prioritized for harvest to prevent losing yield due to downed corn.

The push test helps determine the sturdiness of corn stalks and simulates a wind event. Push a stalk to a 45-degree angle or until the tassel touches the tassel of the next row. If the stalk buckles, it could be cannibalized or have stalk rot.

For the pinch test, squeeze stalks between the second and third node from the ground. Hollow stalks might make a popping sound as air within the stalk rind compresses.

For more information about pre-harvest field evaluations, contact your local Channel Seedsman or refer to the Agronomy Library at Channel.com.

Always read and follow IRM, where applicable, grain marketing and all other stewardship practices and pesticide label directions. Channel® and Channel® and the Arrow Design® are registered trademarks of Channel Bio, LLC. ©2022 Bayer Group. All rights reserved.