Rapid Changes, Early Harvest?

The corn crop in our northwestern trade area has changed quickly over the past few weeks. Silage choppers are already running, and many fields have either reached black layer or have only a small milk line remaining. Unfortunately, some of these fields hit this stage prematurely due to Southern Rust and a handful of other diseases present in the area.

This early maturity will impact harvest schedules for many growers this fall, making it essential to check each field before heading out to harvest. A simple way to evaluate stalk integrity is to perform a push test—push the stalk to see if it bounces back or breaks. Fields with weak stalks that snap easily should be prioritized for harvest as soon as conditions allow to avoid yield loss.

In addition to stalk concerns, we’ve noticed some ear shank decay, which could cause ears to drop before harvest if left too long.

On the flip side, fields sprayed with fungicide or planted with hybrids that offer strong disease tolerance look outstanding and show minimal issues. This is why field-by-field evaluation is so important as harvest approaches. Prioritize problem fields first to protect yield, and let strong, healthy fields dry down a bit longer in the field.

If you’d like help checking your fields or want to discuss fungicide strategies for next season, contact your local SFG agronomist today.