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Asgrow/DEKALB agronomist offers corn planting advice

An Indiana-based Asgrow/DEKALB Agronomist says growers in the Eastern Corn Belt should start gearing up for the planting season.

Dave Colbert says growers should pay attention to emergence ratings when making corn decisions, especially when it comes to planting early.

“Look at your seed rating from the company you buy your corn from and look at the emergence rating score,” he says. “Some hybrids may have a very good emergence and early growth and other products might not be as strong.”

He tells Brownfield a saturated cold germination test could also help farmers make planting decisions.

“Let’s say something had a germination rate of 94,” he says. “This will push it to its limits and under a cold environment you may only see a germination rate of 82 or 81. The test will help you make that decision, he says.”

Colbert says when farmers can get in the fields, they should look at the 10-day forecast.

“If it’s cold the day you’re planting but the weather’s going to start warming it should probably be okay, but if it’s nice the day you’re planting but four days from now it’s going to dip down 20 degrees and you’re going to have a rain event that’s going to put that corn under a tremendous amount of stress,” he says.

He says these are just some of the ways growers can increase yields. 

Audio: Dave Colbert, Asgrow/DEKALB