Rain Delays Harvest Threatens Corn
Heavy rain and high winds have put the harvest on hold in many areas of the state, and concern is mounting about how long the corn can stand. This summer’s cooler weather and lack of growing degree days has already caused problems with stalk rot. Fred Kramer, with DuPont Pioneer, says these late season rains are causing serious disease problems, “We have stalk rot, crown rot; and now with high winds, rain, and delays, it is going to make it that much more likely for problems down the road.” Kramer, who covers several counties in Central Indiana, says about a third of the corn and soybean crops have been harvested.
Kramer told HAT, while the harvest is on hold, growers should be checking fields to catch problems early, “Waiting is not an easy thing to do. What I would be doing is checking fields to see which crops may have some standability issues. I might also look at which fields have ear molds.” He added that he has not seen a lot of ear mold, but this kind of weather is conducive to the problem.
As for yields, in Central Indiana the numbers look good, “The yields have been phenomenal, they may not be as high as everyone thought they were going to be, but they are very very good.” Kramer he has seen many fields yield well above 250 bpa. He said many farms will have averages around 200 bpa.
Hoosier Ag Today meteorologist Rob Wasson says there will be very little harvest activity taking place for the next few days, “Scattered showers will be possible, keeping fields wet with little chance of drying. This low will eventually pull out of the area on Thursday, but a few lingering showers will still be possible over northern and central Indiana. By Friday, high pressure will take over and that will give us some much needed dry weather.” Wasson sees a dry weekend, but a chance of rain returning next week, “There is better news in the extended forecast. Farmers searching for a nice period of dry weather will find it in the two week forecast with above normal temperatures and below normal rainfall statewide.”