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Ag Expert: For Most Area Farmers It’s Now All About Damage Control

June 19, 2024 Steve Schwaller

(Lakefield, Mn.)– Now that we’re outside the window for any re-planting, for most farmers in the region it’s now a matter of trying to protect the crops that ARE in the ground and coming up. Jim Nesseth of Extended Ag Services in Lakefield, Minnesota says a lot of the corn has shallow root systems because of the saturated soil…

“We’ve just got a lot of shallow root systems out there and so a lot of times I think the roots just haven’t reached the nitrogen that we’ve already applied in that soil but at the same time, too, if we get some real warm, humid days, we’re going to have some de-nitrofication. The nitrogen in the corn I think is a viable input to look at yet, but again I think you have to look at your crop insurance, what you have for structure there, if you’re enterprise or if you’re optional units, what your guarantee level is as far as dollars per acre, and, just, you know, push the pencil and see if it’s worth what we want to do as far as trying to raise more yield and what that cost is going to be to do that.”

Nesseth says the shallow roots make corn more susceptible to wind damage…

“You know in some places we’ve got some corn that’s knee high or better. Where those roots have been able to develop and been able to get some aeration in that soil, you know we’ve got some corn that looks pretty decent and it’s really grown and taken off this last week, but those soils are saturated and they’re loose. Some high winds like we had yesterday is certainly going to lean some of that corn. We’re worried about green snap and just maybe leaning over some of that corn. The taller the corn is the more vulnerable it gets when we have these saturated soils.”

Officials say root rot could become an issue as well if things don’t dry out soon.

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