Before you plant corn, here are 5 factors you’ll want to keep in mind to start your season successfully:
- Match your hybrid to best-suited field: Soil type, pest pressures and other environmental factors all impact which hybrid will perform the best on your farm. Even with excellent season-long crop management, corn will not yield at its full potential if the hybrid isn’t right for unique field conditions. Work with your local Golden Harvest Seed Advisor to review your hybrid placement plan for each hybrid so they excel to full potential.
- Wait for adequate soil temperature: Crop residue and soil type are just 2 of the many factors that influence soil temperature. Corn and soy germination require a minimum soil temp. The longer the seed has to wait to reach that minimum temperature, the more vulnerable it becomes to disease or pest damage. Take soil temperature readings in multiple spots during mid-morning to get the most accurate results. Planting can start as long as soil temperatures are near 50 degrees and the weather outlook calls for warmer weather ahead.
- Wait for proper soil conditions: Wet soil conditions at planting can cause problems with the planter’s ability to open and close the seed slot properly. As soils dry after planting, the planter slot can start to reopen resulting in sidewall compaction, pest problems, poor root establishment or potential herbicide overexposure.
- Planter maintenance and setup: Improper seed spacing and variability can cause yield losses up to 2.2 bu/A for every inch increase in the standard deviation from plant to plant. To prevent this, check planters before heading out to the field. Poorly maintained meters, improper meter disc sizes, worn chains, clutches, seed tubes and planting too fast can all contribute to plant spacing variability.
- Be proactive in your weed management program: Weeds compete with corn for valuable water and light resources, which ultimately affect corn yield. To control early emerging weeds, use a properly timed preemergence herbicide application at full rate to provide lasting weed control long into the season. A herbicide such as Acuron® can control tough early-emerging weeds with its 4 active ingredients and 3 modes of action.
Contact your Golden Harvest Seed Advisor with questions or for additional agronomic insights.
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