Resorting to DON corn crop destruction

 

Staff Writer

Farms.com

 

Heightened levels of DON mould in corn crops are forcing Ontario growers to make tough decisions. 

 

Some producers are opting to store corn with high DON levels, Drew Thompson, market development agronomist at Pride Seeds, told Farms.com today.

 

“There are people who, right now, are talking about cleaners,” he said. “So, getting (the crop) off and getting it dried. … It has to be dry so (the mould) doesn’t spread in the bin. You could store it, you could run it through a cleaner … there are some farmers, I’ve heard, that if they get a load that’s been rejected, they’re going to take it back. They’re going to run it through a cleaner and do it again.”

 

But ultimately producers may have to destroy unmarketable crops, a Thursday OMAFRA field crop report said. 

 

Unusable crops with high levels of DON must undergo demolition to prepare for the 2019 season, though “destroying a corn crop at harvest will present challenges for 2019, and research investigating destruction strategies at harvest time is limited,” the report said.

 

In destroying a standing crop, farmers must manage volunteer corn for the next season. A yield of 200 bu/ac of corn can equate to roughly 400 kernels per square foot. As a result, farmers may opt to eradicate the entire crop from the field or destroy kernel viability in-field.

 

Producers can combine to completely remove grain from the field, but this approach requires disposing of large amounts of unmarketable grain. Another option is to leave kernels on the soil and spread them out to encourage germination, but the industry familiarity with this strategy is limited.

 

Farmers can also use forage harvesting to both harvest and destroy grain kernels in-field. The cost of custom forage harvesting is comparable to that of custom combining. “Combine heads would be preferred so only ear material is passed through forage harvesters (like earlage production) but require adapter kits for attachment,” the report said. 

 

If the grain remains in the field, no or reduced tillage can encourage grain rot and gemination of volunteer corn. The moist soil conditions, as well as the lateness of the growing season, however, make this option difficult to rely on. 

 

For growers using conventional tillage practices, “moldboard plowing may be the preferred tool for mixing cobs in soil to promote decomposition while also burying a portion of cobs to a depth where emergence is unlikely,” the report said.

 

Farmers can also choose to plow but this approach may not completely bury cobs. Producers should first knock the crop to the soil surface to make sure the cobs will be properly buried. 

 

In 2019, producers should not plant corn in a field where they destroyed a crop this fall. 

 

Alternative options for DON corn can be found here.

 

To understand DON insurance claims, click here.