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Byline: Dave Nanda In our Corn Watch fields, we learn new lessons every year. Every lesson is important, but some lessons leave an impact that you should pass on to [...]

Byline: Dave Nanda Just when we think we know everything about growing corn, Mother Nature teaches us new things. Read the lessons we learned from our studies in the Corn [...]

Byline: Dave Nanda We could have a record corn crop in 2021! At least it looks that way in the eastern Corn Belt. Corn plants in many fields added a [...]

Byline: Dave Nanda One of my friends recently asked me an interesting question that most of us just take for granted. We know that four to five leaves of the [...]

Byline: Dave Nanda In the past five years, we haven't seen a near-normal crop season. However, it appears we're going to have a good year for corn production in most [...]

Byline: Dave Nanda We had a very late start in most areas of the Corn Belt this year. Hot and dry weather during summer was not conducive to most leaf [...]

Byline: Dave NandaIn my corn breeding days, I used Florida, Hawaii and Puerto Rico as winter research nursery locations along with greenhouses in the Corn Belt. With mega-greenhouses in the [...]

Byline: Dave NandaWhat is soil compaction, and how does it occur? When soil particles are pushed together so the amount of air space between them is reduced as compared to [...]

Most states have seed labs that provide germination testing services to seed companies and farmers. In most cases, seed companies take care of seed testing because they must print warm germination test results on seed tags. [Extracted from the article]

Seed tags aren't just decoration. Germination scores Most hybrid seed corn tags are marked for 95% germination. B Weed seeds. b This is percent by weight of the seed bag, which contains either noxious weeds and/or other weed seeds. [Extracted from the article]

When I was a corn breeder, I used Florida, Hawaii and Puerto Rico as winter research nursery locations while working with different seed companies. In the winter nursery, plant breeders don't select plants for adaptability to the southern climates and soil types. However, winter nurseries allow corn breeders freedom to grow large numbers of inbred lines, increase seed amounts of newer lines and make new crosses as needed. [Extracted from the article]

Every lesson we learn is important, but certain lessons can have a major effect on future corn yields. Seed companies usually plant current products and newer hybrids as a demonstration for farmers to examine at field days. Discover a new plant part: the peduncle. b We have not paid enough attention to a small part of the corn plant that played a very important role this year. [Extracted from the article]

They yield well, even under tough conditions, but it appears those who release hybrids today aren't paying as much attention to agronomic characteristics and disease tolerance as these seed companies did decades ago. Some corn hybrids released recently by seed companies acquired by large conglomerates disappoint me in some respects. [Extracted from the article]

Nanda is director of genetics for Seed Genetics Direct, Jeffersonville, Ohio. I acquired my doctorate degree in corn breeding and genetics at the University of Wisconsin in 1964. My most productive years as a corn breeder were with Stewart Seeds in Greensburg, Ind., where I spent 18 years and developed some elite corn inbred lines and widely adapted hybrids, which were called "genetic originals.". [Extracted from the article]

The article discusses missleanous topics related to agriculture and corn yield. Topics discussed include report from the Crop Watch on 2014 corn field yield, estimation of genetically modified organism (GMO) corn yield along with a study on environment vs. genetics, and evaluates several agricultural equipment including the Wildcat Trail model from Arctic Cat, the Cool Cap for tractors from Westendorf Manufacturing Co., and the unmanned aerial vehicles from Topgan Drone. INSETS: Take to the sky;Inexpensive entry into UAVs;Get feet wet with this UAV;Trail shredding in a compact package

If there is severe heat, lack of moisture or disease stress duringgrain fill, plants may cannibalize stalks and leaves to fulfillgrowing needs of their progeny. Tip kernels are the last ones fertilized and first ones aborted ifthere is stress during pollination and early grain fill. Sometimes corn plants may divert the nutrients from stalks to"feed" the kernels, their progeny. [Extracted from the article]

There are no perfect hybrids available that have all the qualities a grower wants. b I like girthy-eared hybrids with 18 to 20 rows of kernels compared to long, slender-eared hybrids. [Extracted from the article]

Besides checking out new hybrids displayed by the seed companies, visit with other farmers and learn about their crop condition in this tough season. This is the year to go to a couple of field days, even if it's not your favorite activity. [Extracted from the article]

During photosynthesis, plants absorb carbon dioxide from the air through these windows, and get water and nutrients from the soil through roots. Green plants are amazing wonders of nature! During the day, plants absorb carbon dioxide and release oxygen into the atmosphere through stomata. [Extracted from the article]

Some popular corn hybrids on the market have very high yield potential but may be susceptible to certain pathogens, which increases the probability of disease development. Hopefully, Mother Nature won't favor disease organisms this year. By the time plant breeders develop new hybrids resistant to a certain disease organism, the pathogen might mutate and new races of the disease are born. [Extracted from the article]

Certain insects like Japanese beetles or corn rootworm beetles, which feed on pollen that falls on silks, can interfere in the pollination process and reduce kernel set. The 2022 corn planting season started much later than desirable. After good, uniform seedling emergence and stand establishment, the most important periods for corn plants are successful pollination and grain fill. [Extracted from the article]

Even with a great macroenvironment, the destiny of each individual plant will be determined by its microenvironment, including how crowded it is by other corn plants or weeds. From emergence to V10 leaf stage, which is about waist-high corn, it takes 85 to 90 growing degree days for each leaf to develop. [Extracted from the article]

The plant is truly short on phosphorus, but when weather conditions improve, the deficiency will disappear. If you count 30 plants per row within that distance at random locations, it represents 30,000 plants per acre. b The sooner lesions appear, the more likely disease could cause economic harm later. [Extracted from the article]

Seedling roots stop at this stage and the secondary roots known as "nodal roots" start growing. The seedling stage is the most critical phase in the life of a corn plant. b At seedling emergence, young plants face many hurdles such as nutrient deficiencies, seedling diseases like pythium and Stewart's bacterial blight, and insects like black cutworms. [Extracted from the article]

Hybrid characteristics Evaluate each hybrid for key agronomic traits, and see which ones best fit your area and your operation: B Emergence and early-seedling vigor. b How does each hybrid stack up? Selecting the right hybrids for your farm is one of the most important decisions you can make for maximizing yields. [Extracted from the article]

Soil pH controls the availability of nutrients that will affect crop growth and yield. Soil tests can help you decide which nutrients are needed for the crops you grow, and if the soil pH is in a favorable range to allow a specific nutrient to be available for uptake by plants. [Extracted from the article]

We've studied corn in field experiments and farmers' fields for several years and written stories to help you improve yields. It won't cost you a dime extra, but it buys extra insurance in case of unfavorable weather at pollination time, and it can boost yields by adding extra kernels. To keep things in focus, consider these ideas to help raise your yields and profits in 2022: B Set a realistic yield goal, but challenge yourself. b Aim to increase your yield by at least 10 bushels per acre more than the best yield you ever achieved. [Extracted from the article]

Larger equipment, earlier planting when the soil may not be ready, use of loaded trucks on the soil and manure tankers crossing the field can lead to compacted soils. When soil particles are pushed together so the amount of air space between the soil particles is reduced as compared to normal, it's called soil compaction. Working wet soils when the content of soil moisture is above field capacity and soil strength is reduced adds to soil compaction. [Extracted from the article]

The increase in carbon dioxide, methane and other greenhouse gases in the Earth's atmosphere by excessive use of fossil fuels has raised the temperature of the Earth's surface, which is affecting the global climate. Trees also reduce carbon dioxide and add oxygen to the atmosphere. In the Build Back Better spending bill, President Joe Biden asked for more than $500 billion for reducing carbon dioxide and methane gas emissions. [Extracted from the article]

We have conducted the Corn Watch project for several years and have reported our observations and data from tests conducted in cooperating farmers' fields. Tissue tests in midseason or even at tasseling, and stalk nitrate tests after the season, can help fine-tune your nitrogen program. Check planting depth of each row using a block of wood to gauge actual depth before going to the field. [Extracted from the article]