Despite some challenges, north central Iowa farmers are yielding good results this harvest season.
Paul Parcher, Channel technical agronomist in north central Iowa, says, ?Harvest (has gotten) off to a good start.? Farmers started by ?taking out corn affected by drought,? and have since moved to better standing corn and soybeans. Yield results seem “pleasing,” despite various circumstances.
?This summer, we were spared from any disease or pest pressure. I think wind was our worst enemy this year,? Parcher says. ?That?s going to make harvest, especially corn harvest, challenging – Trying to get corn picked up off the ground and through the combine.?
Parcher also warns of black sitting mold, which could be found in several corn fields this fall.
?One thing farmers might be surprised at is a lot of black sitting mold in corn. Black sitting mold is caused by a saprophytic fungi that is feeding on dead plant materials,? Parcher says. ?With the warm temperatures and heavy dews, the black fungus has grown into large amounts.?
Those sensitive to mold should wear a mask while harvesting, and everyone should keep an eye on air filters and replace as needed to avoid blockages.
North central Iowa farmers typically struggle with corn rootworm. However, Parcher is happy to report the SmartStax trait package has done a good job of managing corn rootworm.
“We have seen a few hotspots show up, where we’ve had higher than expected feeding levels,” Parcher says. “We determine that feeding level based on Iowa State University’s node scale. When the SmartStax trait is working effectively, we expect to see a node injury score of less than 0.5, essentially less than half a node. However, when that score is higher than a 0.5, that’s a signal for the farmer they should consider doing something different to try and knock that population down.”
Parcher encourages producers battling increased corn rootworm pressure to consider rotating to a non-host crop next year, such as alfalfa, sorghum, or soybeans. Bayer, Channel’s parent company, looks forward to offering a new soybean trait ahead of the 2021 growing season. Click here to learn more about Bayer’s XtendFlex soybeans.
