For Release: July 29, 2002
Take Special Care in Handling
Drought-Stressed Corn After Rain
BROOKINGS, S.D. -- Producers ideally should wait four to five days before
harvesting drought-stressed corn in fields that have just received rain, a South
Dakota State University specialist said.
SDSU Extension Dairy Specialist Alvaro Garcia explained that drought-stressed
corn is busy taking up nitrogen immediately after a rain so nitrate levels will
be high for several days.
"You need to give the plant time to metabolize the uptake of nitrogen,"
Garcia said.
Ideally, Garcia said, producers whose corn was damaged by hail or wind during
recent thunderstorms should wait four or five days, then harvest the corn for
silage. Properly ensiling corn is the safest method of dealing with corn because
the fermentation process usually reduces the nitrate concentration. The silage
should not be fed until the fermentation process is complete, which takes between
three to four weeks.
Garcia cautioned that when moisture content of the ensiled material is higher
than normal, fermentation might be inadequate. This might result in nitrate levels
similar to those of the fresh-cut forage.
"Testing for nitrates is highly recommended before attempting to feed the
silage," Garcia said. "Diluting the silage with low-nitrate forages
and/or feeding grain may also help to reduce the risk of nitrate toxicity."
More on the topic can be found in SDSU Extension Extra 4017, "Harvesting
and Feeding Drought-Stressed Corn." The publication is available through
county Extension offices, or find it online at the SDSU drought Web site, http://sdces.sdstate.edu/drought/.
SDSU Extension Economist Matt Diersen added it's crucial that producers consult
their crop insurance agents before making any change in management plans for the
crop.
"They will need to communicate with the crop insurance agent and let the
agent know they're interested in cutting that corn for silage. They don't want
to put their indemnity payment at risk," Diersen said.
--ljn--
Contact: Alvaro Garcia, (605) 688-5488
Editor: Lance Nixon, (605) 688-4653