Status of crops

What a learning curve for 2012, dry early spring that turned cool in lat April and Early May, then no excess of water. June then turned very dry and then wow, late June and early July blasted us with a furnace that killed pollen and delayed silking which means we have very little to no corn to harvest. To let us read about what heat and drought can do to soybeans and corn look at these two articles:


Effect of Heat and Drought Stress on Corn Pollination  and

Drought Effects on Grain and Pod Fill in Corn and Soybean
For a better illustration on Corn and planting dates look at the page that I compared here with 2 different dates a month apart, one on April 11th and then on May 11th. This year the one planted on April 11th, 2012 will have very little corn on it because of the stress, if you have any questions, please email me.

WOLF CHART – 2012 Growth Hi/LO Hi/LO

GDD is defined as the number of temperature degrees above a certain threshold for a crop not under stress.

Phase Development Stage GDD Stage Date Temp Date Temp

Planting 0 4/11/2012 50/30 5/11/2012 71/43

Spike 125 VE 4/28/2012 78/49 5/20/2012 84/58

Vegetative Two leaves fully emerged 200 V2 5/2/2012 86/65 5/24/2012 84/60

Three leaves fully emerged 270 V3 5/5/2012 77/62 5/27/2012 90/66

Four leaves fully emerged 345 V4 5/9/2012 71/54 5/29/2012 79/67

Six leaves fully emerged (growing point above soil) 476 V6 5/19/2012 84/55 6/7/2012 79/50

Eight leaves fully emerged (tassel beginning to develop) 610 V8 5/26/2012 89/65 6/14/2012 82/55

Ten leaves fully emerged 740 V10 5/30/2012 84/48 6/19/2012 90/68

Twelve leaves fully emerged (ear formation) 870 V12 6/9/2012 73/50 6/24/2012 91/64

Fourteen leaves fully emerged (silks developing on ear) 1000 V14 6/16/2012 84/66 6/29/2012 103/71

Sixteen leaves fully emerged (tip of tassel emerging) 1135 V16 6/22/2012 86/64 7/2/2012 97/66

Reproductive Silks emerging/pollen shedding (plant at full height) 1400 R1 6/30/2012 102/71 7/10/2012 89/66

Kernels in blister stage 1660 R2 7/5/2012 98/72 7/19/2012 94/68

Kernels in dough stage 1925 R3 7/17/2012 94/73 7/28/2012 84/65

Kernels denting 2190 R4 7/24/2012 92/76 8/7/2012 89/67

Kernels dented 2450 R6 8/4/2012 89/73 8/18/2012 82/55

Physiological maturity 2700 8/14/2012 83/66 8/28/2012 89/70

Please compare the two dates, especially the (red) early planting and the (green) late planting.  Even though planting a month apart the early planted corn matures only 14 days before the same corn planted a month later.