Corn By Degree (Days)
(Contlnuad from Pago A2O)
was done on the basis of known
GDDs of the test plot varieties and
by tracking local GDDs.
(A tassel on com is the nude
reproductive part, whereas the
silks are the female parts. The pol
len comes from the tassells, falls
down to the silks and travels down
the silks to where it combines with
the female part in the ovary and
forms a seed which develops into a
kernel. If the silks ate too dry, or
insect activity destroys them, it
this can prevent proper fertiliza
tion and thus reduce the number of
kernels on an ear of com.)
He said he thinks that many
mote people should be using it
instead of the relative days to
maturity because they can be more
precise in planning, planting and
harvesting. Increased precision
can mean less wasted time and
fewer missed opportunities.
In the publication. Roth wrote
that GDDs ate not universal in
reporting by companies, so far
mers should be aware of industry
inconsistencies and ask for the
GDD basis.
“Hybrid growing degree day
ratings are available from most
seed com companies. Not all com
panies are consistent in their calcu
lation of GDD requirements.
“Some seed companies, for
example, use growing degree days
from emergence to physiological
maturity.
“In this instance, GDD ratings
should be increased by about ISO
to be comparable to those calcu
lated from planting.
“When GDD requirements are
not provided, they can be esti
mated from days to maturity
ratings.”
The publication contains a chart
other factors affecting the growth
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of com.
“Growing degree day require
ments to mature a specific hybrid
may also vary between seasons
because of factors other than temp
erature that affect corn
development”
Drought for example would
seem to be a factor.
“That variation, however, will
usually be much less than the
season-to-season variation in the
Planting el the «ipM time as the other vertetlee In e teet
plot, this variety requlree more growing degree days to
mature. *
-Jll
Delmorvo Store v
305 University Ave
Federcfcburg MD
(Formerly Long Lumber)
1-800-735-6361
V'aftvv'- >
days to maturity system.”
GDDs are also being recom
mended for pest management,
especially with Integrated Pest
Management (IPM).
By following die GDDs, the
emergence of certain pests can be
predicted fairly certain. That
means that any field scouting to
check on population levels can be
better scheduled, and control
spraying can be much better antici
pated for effectiveness.
Lists of activity GDDs for some
insect pests of trees, ornamentals.
grasses and row crops are available
through Extension and can be used
to predict emergences and plant
injury times.
With insects, the activity base
temperature (for com it was SO
degrees) is different for genus and
species. There' computer
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I
com variety requires fewer growing degree days to
reach this stage of tassel development than some others.
Using seed company data of GDDs, and keeping a record of
local GDDs, It Is not difficult to make better Judgements on
crop maturity requirements than by using the standard
relative days to maturity.” By understanding specific his*
toric season trends, determining which com varieties to
select for a specific farm, even field, can be done better.
programs that can more accurately
predict GDD than the simple daily
high and low temperatures.
For more information on using
GDDs as an effective tool for the
farm, contact a local Extension
office.
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