CULTURAL PRACTICE EFFECTS ON STALK BREAKAGE OF CORN Greg Roth Penn State Agronomy Associate Professor Stalk breakage or “greens nap” of com has not been a common problem in Pennsyl vania. During both 1994 and 1995, however, an increasing number of reports of greensnap have occurred around the state. A recent study reported by Richard Feiguson, extension soil specialist with the Univer- Proven Eastland Hybrids EASTLAND E7BOOA EAST-LAND E7BlO EASTLAND E 799 FIELDER S CHOICE 105 5.60 FIELDER’S CHOICE 105 4.51 FIELDER S CHOICE 213 5.58 18.1 PERCENT EASTLAND Plot Co-Operator: Leon Zimmerman, Martinsburg, PA - Blair County It Pays To Plant Northeast Tested & Adapted At your Seedway Dealer, or: Seedway York, PA 1-800-836-3720 *** Seedway Mifflinburg, PA 1-800-338-2137 sity of Nebraska, has docu mented some of the effects of cultural practices on grecnsnap in com. During early July in both 1993 and 1994, winds in excess of 70-90 miles per hour were experienced at the University of Nebraska South Central Research and Education Cen ter, where Ferguson is located. During both years, the winds torms caused stalk breakage in studies on and adjacent to the research station. Ferguson collected stalk breakage information from a long-term N study on the sta tion and a site-specific N appli- Return $ 62.70 More Com Silage Value Per Unit Based On 1995 Testing Dry Matter Yield Comparisons T/A By Brand Yield Advantage Values; corn silage at $ 22.00 per ton, one bag planting 3 acres, Eastl 5.07 6.74 6.72 6.18 Eastland Hybrid Avg. Yield In T/A 5.23 Fielder's Choice Hybrid Avg. Yield In T/A 0.95 EASTLAND Yield Advantage In T/A dH cation trial located on a produc tion field near the station. The data from the long-term N study provided insight into the effects of fertilizer N rate,N application time, and .tillage method on the severity of stalk breakage. Breakage increased from about 10 percent with no N to about 40 percent at the 268 pounds/acre N rate. Sidedress ing N compared to applying all N at planting reduced stalk breakage from about SO percent to 15 percent in 1993 and from about 40 percent to 30 percent in 1994. Stalk breakage was also about 7-10 percentage units greater due to convention al tillage compared to no-till, which the researchers attri buted to the slower early season growth in no-till. In general, any factors that accelerated crop growth early in the season also increased the susceptibility of the crop to stalk N breakage. The site specific study showed that there was a signif icant relationship between the soil organic matter level and stalk breakage. Areas of the field that had higher organic From d Corn Talk, Lancaster Farming, Saturday, October 14, 1 MS-Fage IS matter levels also had higher stalk breakage levels. Often we prefer practices that encourage early season growth with the objective of attaining higher yields. Early season growth, however, is not always a good indication of yield potential as this study illustrates. Our experience in Pennsylvania shows that some fields, planted to hybrids with slow early season growth or those experiencing early season herbicide injury, are often not at Growers Association a yield disadvantage compared to faster growing fields. We have also measured this where excessive N rates are used in our studies; the com grows faster early in the spring and is a darker shade of green but often yields less in the end. Consequently, adjusting some cultural practices to avoid excessive early season growth could be a help if stalk breakage continues to be a problem on specific farms in our area. Pa. Master Corn fj CORN GROWERS SPECIAL Badger Forage Boxes... Built (or (he Long Haul! s Now kdgar gnoj you mom choc* in hxoga boxw Two medals, mflnoa saas li', 16' or 18' Tha now Modal IN 10SS ofion vonobto ip—Hi to match tha brag* donut/ of your load look to Badgar far lh* only taiago bonn built to flax an all tonam ■ Htgh-Urongth alloy stool undarcomoga ■ 23-1/2" wido htgh-spaad cross convayor y^V ■ Modal INI 055 o*atlabla with haovyduty eonugcaod stool tool /•Are™\ ■ Lriatimo warranty an stdas and dock Contact your ladgar dagltr today lor dataik Badger Blowers Beat Bottlenecks 4 «Sjj^ Made! •N3MO iSSladqer I PVs w'j SHOW-EASE STALL CO. 579 WWow M., UiHMir, Fa. Ph: 717-2M-2SM ■ Designed lor plug-prool operation ■ Unlood wogont fatter. Ml tilot mart affictentiy ■ CKoom from Modal 8N2054 or Naw Modal 1N2060, for btggar ttlos ■ Ruggad, haovyduty construction ■ Adjuttoblt shaor bar pravanfs hoir pmmng, corryowar and powar lost All' xiolgo** ■ . At molanol goat up (ha ptpa