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
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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-
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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
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