Spring of 2019 was clearly frustrating to be a corn grower. Frequent rains and cool weather delayed planting for large parts of Ontario. A significant amount of corn was planted into June (Fig 1), and many fields tasseled in early to mid-August, later then the middle to late July we normally expect. Naturally, the […]
Over the last few years a number of corn insect pest populations have developed resistance to at least one Bt trait used in corn hybrids. From western bean cutworm (WBC) resistance to Cry1F, corn earworm (CEW) resistance reported to Cry1Ab, Cry1A.105 and Cry2Ab2, to the latest confirmation of European corn borer (ECB) resistance to Cry1F […]
Timely planting of corn followed by in-crop application up to V-4 leaf stage of corn can increase yield, reduce compaction, and increase nutrient use efficiency Are you envious of your crop neighbours that don’t have to worry about manure application on top of all the other spring work? Yes, spring 2019 has had a slow […]
The 2018 corn harvest that many might rather forget is finally past us… yields were high but unfortunately so were DON levels in many parts of the province. Many farmers chose to dry and store their high-DON corn rather than sell it at harvest, in hopes that better marketing opportunities might open up. As long […]
This article was written by Dave Hooker and Albert Tenuta, on behalf of the Ontario Corn Committee Purpose Although 2018 was very challenging to growers and the rest of the corn industry, it presented an opportunity to compare hybrids for DON accumulation across several locations of the Ontario Corn Performance Trials. The main purpose […]
This article was written by Ben Rosser, OMAFRA Corn Specialist, and James Dyck, OMAFRA Engineer- Field Crop Conditioning & Environment A number of growers cleaned corn this fall in efforts to reduce DON. Whether it is on the combine or at the bins, the general message is to remove as much fines or cob as possible as […]
The nitrogen (N) fertility algorithm proposed at the recent Eastern Ontario Crop Conference by Dr. Dave Hooker, University of Guelph- Ridgetown Campus, was “80% of the recommended N applied pre-plant, then 1 lb/ac of additional N for each millimetre (mm) of rain from the V7 to VT corn growth stage.” Drs. B. Deen, D. […]
Some corn harvested in Ontario this year has concentrations of toxins from ear moulds that are elevated to levels that are too high to be used in animal feed. This could lead to questions about what can be done with this corn, either prior to or after processing. Land application is a possibility. The following […]
While growers are encouraged to find all avenues possible to clean or market their corn, with elevated ear moulds in the 2018 Ontario corn crop, there may be fields with DON levels that render the crop unmarketable. These fields will require destruction in preparation for the 2019 crop season. Destroying a corn crop at harvest […]
End Uses for Mouldy Corn in 2018 Harvesting is of course the preferred option but for some producers finding a market for mouldy or corn with high levels of DON content can be difficult this year as well as it takes time to find alternative uses or streams for this corn. Livestock producers, especially those […]
STORAGE TIPS FOR MOULDY CORN! 1. Harvest infected fields early, and dry corn as soon as possible after harvesting. Do not store wet grain overnight in trucks, wagons, or bins. 2. Dry corn using high-temperature drying, to 15% moisture or less. This stops mould growth and mycotoxin production, but does not reduce mycotoxins already present. […]
HARVEST TIPS FOR MOULDY CORN! 1. Prioritize your corn harvest and storage. Do not mix old crop (2017) or low DON corn with potentially mouldy corn from this harvest. Livestock producers, especially hog, will want to scout fields, sample and test for mycotoxins in order to store their cleanest corn for feeding purposes. Cash croppers […]
As occurs most years, summer thunderstorms brought localized hail events through parts of Ontario, particularly during the last week of July (Figure 1). After a hail event, our first question is usually how much leaf tissue is still out there? When evaluating damage, it’s good to wait a week or so before going in. This […]
Co-authored with Ian McDonald Background OMAFRA Field Crop Unit staff have traditionally conducted an annual Pre Sidedress Nitrogen Test (PSNT) survey across Ontario at the beginning of June to measure background soil nitrate levels mineralized from the soil as an indication of year-to-year soil nitrogen status. In past years, 80-100 samples would be collected from […]
This article originally appeared in Milk Producer Magazine. As another harvest season approaches, it also marks the time for deciding which corn hybrids to select for next year. It is always important to choose hybrids that are well adapted to the area and have good agronomic characteristics for your fields, although some characteristics commonly selected […]