—Lancaster Farming, Saturday, July 29, 1972
10
Field Corn - Stalk Breakage
One of the most annoying problems
facing corn growers today is stalk rot or
stalk lodging Since it seems to have no
fixed pattern it gets blamed on any one of a
dozen things and the funny thing is that
any of these reasons could be a con
tributing factor.
Stalk rot can be caused by many
organisms but most of the damage is
caused by three common soil fungi. These
fungi live through the winter on old corn
stalks, grassy weeds, gram and sorghum
stubble. In late summer the fungi produce
spores which infect ripening corn plants.
These spores can get into the plant many
ways: injured or diseased roots, injured or
weak stalks, juncture of leaf and stalk, and
through thm-walled stalks. In 1970 and
1971 stalk rot was also caused by heavy
infection of Southern Leaf Blight, "T”
strain.
Stalk rot organisms tend to build up
under continuous corn culture, so lodging
will be far more severe in fourth year corn
than in first year plantings A variety could
get a bad name for itself if it went down in a
fourth year field, while the variety following
alfalfa next to it could be standing per
fectly I am not saying don’t plant con
tinuous corn, but I am saying to expect
more stalk rot and try to do every little
thing you can to overcome it.
If you possibly can, grow soybeans, clover
or an alfalfa sod in the rotation this will
break up the cycle of corn and reduce the
number of organisms Small grains,
sorghum-sudans and grass sods do not
break the rotation, as stalk rot organisms
feed on all of these.
Any injury will give the fungi an open
door to walk right in. How many growers
are willing to blame stalk rot on Northern
root worm, garden centipedes,
wireworms, root aphids, root pruning from
close cultivation, com borer, army worm,
and hail? But all of these injury openings
are sources of infection
corn
Stress factors also aid stalk lodging
dry weather which causes internal cell
breakdown; continuous wet weather that
causes many roots to rot and lets the plant
blow over in a wind storm: high plant
populations that make weak, thin stalks
and shading of the lower leaves; and
r-hemical injury, such as is often seen with
LA CONNER, WASH, PUGET SOUND
MAIL. “For years we have been infuriated
by the excessive tax burden on the
property owner—sometimes it has reached
the point where we even felt like voting
against the most needed and worthwhile
local projects. Most of your
taxes are services for ‘people’
rather than ‘property owners’. Under our
present tax system ‘taxiation is assuming
the ability to destroy.’ Some have not made
home improvements becuase that would
mean higher taxes —some of the elderly in
desperate circumstances have been
careful and hard earned plans for their
sunset years go out the window. Whether
you are a farmer, businessman or home
owner, you are in the same boat on this
matter of excessive property taxes.. .It is
time that ‘people’ (the major recipients of
services) pay a fair share of the cost, in
stead of property owners carrying an
unfair burden "
ALMA, GA„ WIREGRASS NEWS:
"Scientists agree that the earth is at least
4.5 billion years old. However, there are
varying theories as to its origin. Some have
suggested it was created from a great
cloud of dust. Others would have you
believe that it was created from a piece of
Guest Editorial
Grassroots Opinions
2, 4-D, which restricts or eliminates brace
root formation.
Your fertilization pattern is also a big
factor. Migrates of nitrogen, not balanced
with phosphate or more important, potash,
can lead to real trouble. While not perfect,
if you raise your potash rate as you raise
your nitrogen, you tend to hold down stalk
rot to a decent level. Low ph can cause
poor root development, increasing lodmg, if
the plant ever grows big enough to lodge.
Hybrids, of course, vary in stalk rot
resistance, but cause far less than the 100
per cent that farmers claim. Most hybrids
today are bred for stalk rot resistance, but
farmer use changes the results to a great
degree.
Stalk rot is an old age or senile disease,
and is much worse if the variety is
maturing in the hot, humid days of Sep
tember. Two hybrids may have the same
stalk rot resistance, but if orte is short
season and matures when it's hot and
humid it can go over 100 per cent while a
rather late corn that matures just as the
frosts arrive can be 100 per cent standing.
This late corn could be in trouble from
chaffy ears, if frosted.
The above points are certainly not all the
reasons for stalk rot or lodging, but
probably the most important. As a farmer,
you can reduce stalk rot and lodging if you
try to combine the following growing
practices:
A Plan a plant population that is ideal for
your area, soil type, and variety. Narrow
rows with plant population remaining
constant is good.
B. Use a balanced fertilizer program.
Keep potash high if you are going for
maximum yield. Maintain proper ph.
C Break up continuous corn with
soybeans, clover of alfalfa, as often as
possible.
D Reduce insect damage.
E. Plant a full season hybrid that uses the
full growing season. A variety that matures
September 1 and the growing season ends
October 1 is asking for stalk rot.
F. Harvest your corn as soon as it is
mature delayed harvesting could mean
lodging.
G. Plant as resistant a hybrid as possible.
H. Pray that tfie hurricanes wait till
December.
the sun. Frankly speaking, we still prefer
the &ne that begins ... ‘ln the beginning
God created the heaven and the earth.’"
PARKERSBURG, W. VA„ NEWS: “The
railroads are moving ahead to meet their
transportation obligations to the limit of
their present capability. The capability
could be vastly increased if Congress
would move with equal dispatch in the field
of transportation legislation.”
KENYON, MINN., LEADER: “It was
interesting to note during the astronauts’
stay on the moon that the lunar rover that
carried them to their various destinations
cost approximately $lO million to develop
and build. It has to be a consolation for
those of us who struggle to keep an
automobile running, that even at the price,
a fender fell off the rover.”
COMSTOCK, NEBR., NEWS: “There’s a
new doll on the market. It’s called a welfare
doll. You wind it up and it doesn’t work.
How true! How true. Certainly there are
people who are deserving of welfare, and
they should have it. But on the other side of
the fence are those who do not need
welfare but apply and get it just to keep
from working. There should be some way of
regulating this."
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NOW IS
THE TIME . . .
Max Smith
County Agr. Agent
Telephone 394-6851
To Keep Safety Records
Farmers who have employees
should be sure to keep records of
all hired workers who are injured
or sick. It’s now required by the
Occupational Safety and Health
Act (OSHA). Farmers with
employees should have four
forms: a safety and health
protection poster, a list of the
dates of occupational injuries and
illnesses, a supplementary
record of injuries and illnesses to
employees, and a summary of all
occupational injuries and
illnesses. These forms are a part
of the U. S. Dept, of Labor booklet
that has been sent to many far
mers; if not received one may be
secured by writing to U. S. Dept,
of Labor, Regional Office, Room
410 Penn Square Building,
Jumper and Filbert Streets,
Philadelphia, Pa. 19107. This is a
new law during the past year and
farmers are included. Com
pliance is necessary to avoid
penalities and trouble.
To Be Alert For Leaf Hoppers
Farmers are urged to keep an
eye open for leafhoppers in
alfalfa. They are increasing in
numbers and are responsible for
yellowing and stunting of the new
growth. If you can get more than
one leafhopper per sweep with an
insect net, or your hat, then
spraying is needed.
Methoxychlor at the rate of %
pound per acre when new growth
is 4 to 6 inches high is suggested.
In many years these insects have
hurt the second and third cutting
of alfalfa, so some spray ap
plication will improve the yield.
AT THE ROOTS
Lesson for July 30, 1972
Background Scripture I John 4 13-19.
Ephesians 3 14*21
Devotional Reading: Philippians 3 7-16.
When I travel I am often
amused at the difference it makes
when someone learns that I am a
clergyman. For some people it is
an obvious barrier. For others, it
is sometimes a cue for insincerity.
I become aware that they begin
to tell me the
sort of thing they
think I want to
hear. For still
others, it seems,
I become an ob
ject of curiosity.
There are some
people, however,
_ .... who seem genu-
Rev. Althouse | ne jy relieved that
they can speak with someone
about matters of faith, someone
who shares the same allegiance
and commitment as they. It be
comes apparent that they are
hungry to talk to someone who
shares their Christian faith
By this we know
Apart from clergy collars and
nuns’ habits there are few signs
to indicate who is and is not a
Christian in their commitment.
True, some people wear crosses
around their necks and in their
lapels, but like the old Sunday
school attcndence pins these seem
to be fewer and fewer these days.
It is hard to know when a person
is a Christian.
In 1 John, however, we find
In most areas moisture con
ditions are favorable for rapid
growth of the third cutting when
insects are controlled.
Xo Keep Fertilizers
From Animal#
Fertilizer is a very common
imput to modern farming, but it
should be kept away from all
farm animals. Nitrogen and
potassium salts in fertilizer are
toxic to animals and will poison
them. We offer these suggestions
at this time; (1) Avoid leaving
any kind of fertilizer where
animals can reach it; (2) Clean
up spilled fertilizer; (3) destroy
empty bags; they may contain
enough to kill some animals; (4)
After fertilizing a pasture, wait
until at least V4-inch rain has
fallen before turning in the
livestock. The safe handling and
storing of chemical fertilizer is
just as important as any other
agricultural chemical.
To Prepare For
Summer Seedings
Early August is still one of the
good times to make a new
seeding of alfalfa. (Early spring
is the other.) In low land where
the water stood for several days
during June and early July, the
alfalfa may be killed or stunted;
the first part of August would be a
good time to till these areas and
make a straight seeding of
alfalfa. In some established
stands there are areas with poor
stands that can be renovated and
re-seeded at this time. Per
manant pastures may be seeded
down to grass mixture during
late August and early September
with good results. Weeds should
be expected and some herbicide
used either before or after
seeding the alfalfa. Small weeds
are easier to kill rather than to
permit them to get 6 to 12 inches
high in the new alfalfa stand.
that there is really but one cri
teria on that can be used in
identifying Christian discipleship:
“By this we know that we abide
in him and he in us, because he
has given us his own Spirit” (4:
13). There are no badges to wear,
no secret handshakes and signs,
no banners to carry, there is only
love. Love is one criterion for
identifying the person who
“abides” in Christ.
Unfortunately, a person can
call himself a Christian, belong
to a church, and even wear a
lapel cross, but this is no guar
antee that he or she is truly a dis
ciple For Christianity is not a
matter of outward signs and gar
ments, but of an inner depth re
ality. If a person has not love,
all the badges and banners in the
world cannot make him a follow
er of Jesus Christ.
The fullness and the depth
In Ephesians, the writer calls
for a faith that is more than ex
ternals He calls for a faith that
has “breadth and length and
height and depth” (3 18). His
prayer is that the reader may “be
filled with all the fullness of
God” (3 19). Once again, how
ever, the key to a depth dimen
sion faith is love. The writer’s
prayer is that the reader may
have power (“strengthened with
might” - 3:16), faith (3:17), un
derstanding (“power to compre
hend” - 318), but all of “full
ness” is “rooted and grounded in
love” (3:17). Above all else, the
Christian must know “the love of
Christ which surpasses knowl
edge” (3:19).
When we meet someone who
has this fullness, this depth di
mension, it soon becomes appar
ent beause deep inside at its
roots there is Christian love that
shines through everything.
.'.W.V.V.VW
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