Why Kernel Weight Matters

Exploring Corn Yield Response to Fungicide

Whether you are in the US mid-west, or Ontario, corn farming faces unique challenges and opportunities, especially concerning disease management and yield optimization.

Dan Quinn, assistant professor, and corn agronomist from Purdue University recently shared his insights on the importance of grain fill during the Great Ontario Yield Tour event in Woodstock, Ontario.

Kernel weight can swing corn yield significantly he explained. If you pull an ear at R5 (beginning dent – about 30 days to maturity) and look at dry matter, it still has time to grow. If frost comes early, for example, you can lose up to 30% of the corn yield.

Can farmers manipulate or extend grain fill? Quinn’s team tested with two different management practices, one with no disease control and one where they sprayed a fungicide at R 1 and R2. They had tar spot in both scenarios.

By getting 4 extra days of extension for grain filling, Quinn’s team produced 30 mg more of dry matter per kernel, increasing the yield by 10 to 20 bushels.

His team will be looking into the impact of hybrids on how the data will differ in the future.

Quinn’s team was able to track that if a farmer can manage the upper portion of the canopy and maintain the green leaf area, grain fill is extended, which leads to heavier grain, which leads to greater yields.

Watch the video below to see Quinn’s complete presentation made during the 2024 Great Ontario Yield Tour.