Dr. David Hooker, University of Guelph, Ridgetown Campus; Greg Stewart, OMAFRA

The cost of drying corn from 25 to 15.5 percent moisture is expected to increase sharply with estimates of $24.80 to $25.00 per tonne for the fall of 2008, from $19.85 in 2006, and $12.79 in 2000. The cost of drying a 150 bushels per acre corn crop in 2008 could therefore exceed $100 per acre. Therefore the opportunity to harvest dry corn in the spring is an extremely attractive option with a potential increase in net returns by $100 per acre.

There has been very little research performed in Ontario, or the US Corn Belt (no information has been found in the published literature), on the feasibility of the concept, or through mitigating perceptions of yield loss or harvest ability. Anecdotally, growers who have experimented with the concept in Ontario are pleasantly surprised to report less than five bushels per acre yield loss (a $25 per acre cost) for spring harvest compared to harvest in the fall (with no real management strategies in place to optimize the concept).

Currently, no management strategies exist for maximizing returns and reducing the risks perceived with the concept of spring harvesting. In contrast, however, a great potential exists to develop the management strategies through the use of technological innovations that are currently available to corn growers.

For example, genetically stacked hybrids offer insect protection for retaining excellent stay green and stalk strength over conventional hybrids; stacked hybrids with excellent stalk ratings seem to offer the highest potential for management, but little research has been performed to test these variables under the spring harvest concept. Hybrid maturities that “push the season” may be more attractive to the spring harvest concept because of higher yield potentials, eliminated dry-down concerns in the fall, and better stay green capabilities (stay green may be an indicator of standability through the winter).

Plant populations may need to be adjusted slightly lower for corn intended to be spring harvested; no research is currently available that would test this strategy for spring harvest, although much research has reported better stalks with lower populations. A fungicide application at tasseling is a relatively new concept in corn production for controlling leaf diseases and maintaining stalk strength. This is another untested, theoretically viable management option for maintaining high yields and reducing the risks associated with spring harvesting.

A great potential exists to develop strategies through the use of modern technological innovations such as:

1. the use of the latest stacked hybrids.
2. effect of plant populations.
3. the use of foliar fungicides.

These are all untested, theoretically viable management options for reducing the risks associated with spring harvesting.

This project is supported through ORD.