MP437 Corn Production HANDBOOK University of Arkansas, United States Department of Agriculture, and County Governments Cooperating The editors would like to thank Dr. William Johnson, former Extension Agronomist - Wheat and Feed Grains, for his significant contributions to this handbook. Issued in furtherance of Cooperative Extension work, Acts of May 8 and June 30, 1914, in cooperation with the U.S. Department of Agriculture, Director, Cooperative Extension Service, University of Arkansas. The Arkansas Cooperative Extension Service offers its programs to all eligible persons, regardless of race, color, national origin, religion, gender, age, disability, marital or veteran status, or any other legally protected status, and is an Affirmative Action/Equal Opportunity Employer. Contents Introduction . .1 5 – Major Insect Pests of Field Corn in Arkansas and Their Management . .29 Chinch Bug . .29 1 – Growth and Development . .3 Corn Flea Beetle . .30 Corn Thrips . .31 Cutworms Including the Black Cutworm . .32 2 – Cultural Practices . .7 Seedcorn Maggot . .32 Land Selection . .7 Sugarcane Beetle . .33 Seedbed Preparation . .7 White Grub . .33 Planting Precision . .7 Wireworm . .34 Planting Date . .8 Aphids Including the Corn Leaf Seeding Rate and Plant Populations . .9 and Bird Cherry-Oat aphids . .35 Hybrid Selection . .10 Corn Earworm . .35 Growing Degree Days . .11 European Corn Borer . .36 Southwestern Corn Borer . .37 Fall Armyworm . .40 3 – Drainage and Irrigation . .13 References . .40 Drainage . .13 Acknowledgments . .41 • Surface Drainage . .13 Photo Descriptions . .42 • Internal Drainage . .14 Irrigation . .15 • Yield . .15 6 – Diseases and Nematodes . .45 • Water Needs . .15 Seed Rots and Seedling Blights . .45 • Irrigation Scheduling . .16 Crazy Top . .45 • Irrigation Termination . .17 Anthracnose . .46 Irrigation Methods . .18 Gray Leaf Spot . .46 • Flood (Levee) Irrigation . .18 Southern Corn Leaf Blight . .46 • Furrow Irrigation . .19 Rusts . .47 • Border Irrigation . .20 Charcoal Rot . .47 • Center Pivot Irrigation . .21 Other Stalk Rots . .48 Arkansas Situation . .22 Smut . .48 Ear and Kernel Rot . .48 Storage Rots and Mycotoxins . .48 4 – Fertilization and Liming . .23 Nematode Damage . .49 Soil pH . .23 Virus Diseases . .49 Nitrogen . .23 Animal Manures . .25 Phosphate and Potash . .25 7 – Weed Control in Corn . .51 Calcium, Magnesium and Sulfur . .26 Micronutrients . .26 Plant Analysis . .27 8 – Harvesting . .65 Store Grain at Low Moisture Content . .81 Corn Equipment . .65 Avoid Pockets of Damp Grain . .81 • Corn Head . .65 Avoid Moisture Migration . .82 • Rasp-Bar Cylinder or Threshing Rotor . .65 Do Not Rely on Grain Turning . .82 • Counterbalance Weights . .65 Control Insects and Rodents . .82 Corn Harvest Moisture . .65 Check Moisture Content During Storage . .82 Gathering Corn . .66 Check for Hot Spots During Storage . .83 • Height . .66 Drying . .83 • Synchronize Speeds . .66 Equipment . .83 • Snapping Opening . .67 Storage Tips . .84 • Stalk Roll Spacing . .67 Detection of Aflatoxin . .85 Troubleshooting . .67 What Can Be Done with • Excessive Shelling at Stalk Rolls . .67 Contaminated Grain? . .85 • Pulling Up Stalks . .67 Summary . .85 • Weeds, etc., Wrapping Stalk Rolls . .67 • Row Alignment . .68 • Plugging . .68 11 – Estimating Production Cost Threshing and Separating . .68 for Corn in Arkansas . .87 Corn Quality . .68 Field Losses . .69 • Estimating Field Loss . .69 12 – Identify Hazards and • Procedure . .69 Prevent Accidents . .89 • Ear Loss . .69 Have a Plan to Reduce Hazards . .89 • Kernel Loss . .70 Field . .89 Citations . .72 Traffic and Road Transport . .90 General Precautions . .91 Irrigation . .91 9 – On-Farm Storage and Drying . .73 Grain Drying . .92 Fan Types . .74 OSHA . .93 Drying Costs . .76 Summary . .94 Long-Term Storage Management . .76 Contacts that May Prove Helpful . .94 Safety . .77 Additional Resources 77 13 – Renewable Energy . .95 Corn Products . .95 10 – Grain Storage and Aflatoxin in Corn . .79 Ethanol Information . .95 Introduction . .79 • Consumer Benefits . .95 What Is Aflatoxin? . .79 • Taxpayer Benefits . .95 How Corn Is Contaminated • Economic Benefits . .96 with Aspergillus sp. .79 • Agricultural Benefits . .96 Prevention or Reduction of • Energy/Trade Benefits . .96 Aflatoxin in Corn . .80 • Environmental Benefits . .97 Grain Storage to Preserve Quality . .81 Introduction Leo Espinoza and Jeremy Ross North American Indians practically saved the Corn yields remained relatively flat prior to early settlers from starvation during their first winter 1950, with state average yields being 18 bushels per by sharing their corn. In fact, Indians of North and acre. Today, thanks to more and improved hybrids Central America had grown corn for several developed by public and private breeding programs, thousand years prior to the arrival of the first settlers. as well as more efficient fertilizer, irrigation, pest management and marketing practices, average corn Early Arkansas settlers made corn a very yields in Arkansas are in the 140 to 145 bushels per important part of their agricultural operations. acre range. These yield levels represent a 2.5 bushels Before 1950 (from records going back to 1866) per acre increase per year since 1950, and it is very more than 1 million acres of corn were harvested close to average yields observed in traditional corn each year. Increasing demand and attractive crop producing states (Table Intro-1). prices for cotton, rice and soybeans resulted in the decline of corn production in the state to less than The Corn and Grain Sorghum Research 100,000 acres (Figure Intro-1). The increasing nem­ Verification Program (CGSRVP) is contributing atode pressure in soils planted to cotton and soy­ significantly toward increasing state corn yields. beans, in addition to high yield potentials and new This program began in 2000, and is funded solely market opportunities, have resulted in a 100 percent by Arkansas growers through Check-off contribu­ increase in corn acreage in the last couple of years. tions. The CGSRVP uses Extension management Figure Intro-1. Historical corn acreage and average yields in Arkansas between 1886 and 2001 (Arkansas Agricultural Statistics Service). 1 recommendations to produce a high yielding, under Arkansas conditions. Due to constant changes economical corn crop. Information from CGSRVP in laws that regulate pesticide use, the reader is fields is used to improve and refine production encouraged to contact the appropriate Extension recommendations to meet the needs of Arkansas office for the most current information. corn farmers, in addition to identifying areas in need of more research. Through the 2002 growing Table Intro-1. Average Yields for Selected Corn season, 27 corn fields had been enrolled in the Producing States During 2001. CGSRVP, with economic information collected on State Yield (bu/A) each CGSRVP field to estimate crop expenditures and returns. Indiana 156 Illinois 152 Extension specialists and researchers with the University of Arkansas Division of Agriculture Nebraska 147 developed this handbook. Arkansas corn growers, Iowa 146 through the Arkansas Corn and Grain Sorghum Promotion Board, provided the financial resources Arkansas 145 to create the handbook. Ohio 138 Missouri 133 The handbook should be used as a reference guide. It contains information on topics such as Tennessee 132 hybrid selection, soil and water management, plant Texas 118 nutrition, integrated pest management, harvesting, and safety considerations in the production of corn Source: National Agricultural Statistics Service. 2 1 - Growth and Development Leo Espinoza Corn seeds, growing under the right conditions, Table 1-1. Vegetative and Reproductive Stages will eventually grow into small factories with the of a Corn Plant ability to produce ample amounts of food. Under­ standing the conditions under which a seed may Vegetative Stages Reproductive Stages properly germinate, develop into a plant, and VE emergence R1 silking produce grain should help us prepare and manage the crop to achieve expected yields. V1 first leaf R2 blister.