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Effects of green snap showing up in corn fields

Farmers across the Midwest are seeing the impact of green snap in corn fields as harvest progresses.

Monsanto Knowledge Transfer Agronomy Manager Randy Hagen says the problem is associated with corn growing too fast and is most prevalent this year in Iowa, Nebraska and Minnesota.

“If we have conditions early on in the spring where there’s good fertility, good moisture and a lot of heat, that plant can grow extremely fast.  As it does that, the stalk itself becomes a bit brittle.”

Hagen says wind is the primary cause of green snap, which has the potential to make harvesting more difficult, reduce yield and open the door to disease pressure.

Product selection for seed and chemicals are preventative steps farmers can take for future growing seasons.

“If we use 2-4-D or growth regulator-type chemicals, they can actually cause some of that brittleness in the stalk (depending on when they are applied).  So managing that at the right time is also important.”

Hagen says seed companies offer hybrids with various green snap ratings that might also reduce the possibility of crop damage.