News

Hot temps could mean yield loss

Until last week, temperatures throughout much of the growing season have been moderate.  But then, Mother Nature decided to turn up the heat.  Purdue Extension corn specialist Bob Nielsen says while the temperatures may help catch the crop up on GDU’s it’s not all good.  “We’re clearly starting to see the effects of drought stress, even though we’re not in a drought,” he says.  “Never-the-less we’re seeing drought stress appear in fields.  We’re seeing areas of fields or perhaps entire fields beginning to shut down prematurely.”

In fact, Nielsen tells Brownfield farmers could see significant yield loss depending on how bad the heat stress is and at what point in the growing season it hits.  “If we’re looking at whole plant death than yield losses may range from as little as 12% loss if the death occurs before the so-called half milk-line stage,” he says.  “If whole plant death occurs right at full dent, the death loss may be as high as 40%.”

And in extreme cases, if the plant is only in the dough stage, he says, yield losses could be as great as 50 percent.

AUDIO: Bob Nielsen, Purdue Extension (8:15mp3)

Add Comment

Your email address will not be published.


 

Stay Up to Date

Subscribe for our newsletter today and receive relevant news straight to your inbox!