Statewide, only 2% of Indiana corn has been harvested, but most fields in NE Indiana are a week or so away from harvest. Mary Gumz, Pioneer agronomist based in North Judson, told HAT there is a great deal of variability in field conditions in her area, “We have fields that never even pollinated to fields that caught some rain and will do OK. I think an average in my area will be 120 bpa on corn.” She said stalk integrity is a serious problem this year and that growers should be checking fields to determine how long the crop will stay standing, “Growers should check their fields and do a push test and a pinch test.” Gumz said the pinch test is a good way to test the strength of the stalk which may be all that is keeping a plant upright. She urged growers to evaluate their fields and determine which ones need to be harvested first.
Aflatoxin is being reported across the state, and Gumz says farmers need to be checking their fields for it and, if detected, taking precautions, “If you find you have the mold, be sure to take safety precautions.” Pioneer and Purdue both have many resources on their web sites to help producers identify and manage this serious infestation. In addition, if you find you have a problem, you need to contact your crop insurance agent before you begin harvesting. Failure to do this could result in the loss of insurance coverage and benefits.
Listen to the complete report with Mary Gumz at our Agronomy section on our web site and our Smartphone app.