Importance of Planter, Singulation, Plant Population

Unlike many of the other crops we grow, we don't plant a lot of corn seeds/ac and the depth, spacing, and population are absolutely critical to successful corn production. Ideal populations will vary among varieties and with different conditions each year but we have recently seen a benefit to increasing planting rates from the typical 30-32,000 seeds/ac up to 34-36,000 seeds per ac. (Assuming you aren't Variable rate seeding):

 

Corn Growth Stages

It is critical to understand corn growth stages for herbicide application, scouting for pests & staging for silage or grain harvest.

Corn Growth Stages

 

Early Season Frost Damage

In '2015 we saw significant above ground tissue damage from a late spring frost. To watch plants dry off or disappear is frightening but similar to other cereal crops, the growing point for corn remains below the soil surface until approximately the 6th stage so although the crops looked devastated the mortality was quite acceptable and replanting was not warranted in almost all situations especially if a proper planting depth of 2" was obtained.

Crop Insights: Early Season Frost Damage to Corn

 

Nutrient Deficiency

Corn offers tremendous opportunity with yield but also requires careful attention to nutrition/fertility. If you are seeing strange appearance of any leaves in your corn crop it could be indicating a deficiency. 

Management: Nutrient Deficiency

 

European Corn Borer Management

https://www.pioneer.com/CMRoot/Pioneer/Canada_en/agronomy/agronomy_research_summaries/pdfs/2014_European_Corn_Borer_Management.pdf

 

Silage Harvest Staging

Harvesting Corn Silage at the Right Moisture