High temperatures and extremely dry soils have certainly taken a toll on corn fields in Delaware. Thundershowers continue to be sporadic throughout the area and the forecast is not indicating any drought-ending rainfall. One way to manage the damaged corn is to harvest for silage. Before chopping, it’s a good practice to sample a few plants throughout the field for nitrates. Typically, the highest concentration of nitrates are found in the lower third of the stalk. Therefore, cutting a little higher than normal could be beneficial. Corn put in the silo will lose a percentage (30-70%) of nitrates during fermentation. This may take several weeks to complete and feeding the drought damaged corn should be delayed. Several private forage testing laboratories in the area can test for nitrates. The Delaware Department of Agriculture in Dover can perform the test for nitrates. It is free for Delaware farmers.
Suggested Reading: http://bulletin.ipm.illinois.edu/article.php?id=1675
