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Vomitoxin reported throughout Michigan’s Thumb

A Michigan farmer says early maturing corn varieties have more quality issues than normal.

Paul Shultz of Mayville tells Brownfield vomitoxin has been very prevalent in fields that suffered from drought conditions during pollination in July.  “It’s heavier hit in certain pockets, but I’ve been hearing strong vomitoxin numbers.”   He says levels vary from three parts-per-million and more than 15, and elevators in the region are docking five to 35 cents per bushel on loads over six parts-per-million.  Shultz says adjusting combine settings during harvest has helped reduce the vom levels.

Overall, he says yields have been excellent in fields with cover crops and later maturing varieties.  “The dry beans did fairly well, the soybeans did great, and the corn in certain varieties did good to excellent but the early maturity corn did quite poorly.”

Shultz says he’ll be using more cover crops next year because they’ve helped reduce herbicide costs, retain moisture and build soil organic matter.

AUDIO: Interview with Paul Schultz