By Scout Nelson
As planting delays occur due to flooded and saturated fields, many growers face uncertainty about when they can resume work. A significant concern arises regarding the need to switch corn hybrids to earlier maturities to avoid the dangers of late-season frosts.
The U2U Growing Degree Days (GDD) tool is invaluable in this scenario, providing a clear comparison of different hybrids and planting dates across the Corn Belt and illustrating variations over a 30-year period.
For example, in Saunders County near Mead, Nebraska, a 110-day relative maturity (RM) hybrid corn planted on June 5 risks not maturing before the average frost date of October 19.
This data comes from analyses using the U2U GDD tool, which not only shows potential frost dates but also the expected variation in growing degree days over past decades.
Corn's ability to adapt to later planting by shortening its growth cycle is a critical factor for growers to consider. Corn grown in saturated conditions, or "mudded-in" corn, tends to underperform.
To minimize risks associated with early frosts, opting for earlier-maturing hybrids could be a wise choice, despite the general trend of lower yields compared to full-season hybrids.
Surprisingly, experiences from June 2022 revealed that shorter-season hybrids, even below 100 RM, performed quite well under such circumstances.
Choosing earlier maturity hybrids reduces the risk of unripe corn at frost and the likelihood of higher moisture content at harvest, which increases drying costs. Farmers might also explore alternatives like corn silage or high moisture corn for fields planted late in the season.
Late frosts can severely impact yields by reducing kernel weight, although they do not always affect the test weights of the corn, as observed in south-central Nebraska after replanting in June 2022. Using tools like the U2U GDD and selecting appropriate corn hybrids can significantly help in managing these risks effectively.
Photo Credit -gettyimages-dale-fornoff
Categories: Nebraska, Crops, Corn