While 90 percent of the U.S. corn crop is planted, many growers in the southern Corn Belt have had to delay planting. Frequent rains in parts of Arkansas, southern Missouri, southern Illinois, western Kentucky and western Tennessee have prevented growers from getting in the field. Some of these areas have received only four to five days of sun in the last 30 days, which, in addition to delaying planting, has slowed crop growth because they haven’t received the appropriate heat units. I’ve received a number of calls from growers who haven’t been able to get their corn acres in, asking if it’s time to switch to a shorter-maturity hybrid. The first question I ask when I receive these calls is “what’s your end goal?”
Like the fields they plant, each grower is unique. And not every grower has the same end goal for their crop. Yield, of course, is the obvious goal, but some growers need to meet a specific harvest timeframe for different reasons.
Here’s my advice:
If your end goal is to achieve maximum yield, stick to your original planting plan and with your full-season hybrids. Once the rain clears and the heat units kick in (which they should), corn will mature in a normal fashion. Even if you can’t hit the field for a few weeks, yields should not be compromised by delayed planting. Harvest may be delayed, but only by 10 to 14 days (if you’re able to plant in the next two weeks). Fuller-maturity hybrids allow plants to achieve maximum yield through a longer pollination and grain fill window and to put on more kernels and more kernel weight, equating to higher yield.
On the other end of the spectrum, if you need to harvest your corn within a certain timeframe to feed livestock or sell for feed or grain (e.g., to poultry growers), it might make sense to switch to a shorter-season hybrid. That said, never choose a hybrid with more than a five-day difference in maturity. For instance, if you have a 115-day maturity hybrid, you should be able to safely switch to a 110-day option but nothing shorter. You should also keep in mind that with a shorter maturity window, you’re going to sacrifice yield because shorter-maturity hybrids have compressed grain fill and flowering windows.
If you’re experiencing delayed planting and are considering switching hybrids, feel free to contact your local Stine sales agronomist for support. In addition to discussing your options, they can also provide you guidance on best management practices for those hybrids throughout the year. And remember that no matter the hybrid or maturity, weed control and fertility should always be top-of-mind throughout the growing season. Adequate phosphorus and potassium combined with split nitrogen applications should help speed up the maturity process. Healthy corn matures faster than malnourished or diseased corn.
If you’re unsure who your local Stine rep is, you can connect with them here. We’re here to answer your questions and guide your path to success this planting and growing season.