Ontario’s corn producers say they are in crisis mode. Despite reaching record yields of as much as 220 bushels per acre, they’re also facing uncommonly high mould levels that are forcing elevators to reject their deliveries.
The province’s agricultural insurance organization, Agricorp, has received 1,300 calls reporting mould.
The mould is Gibberella ear rot. It can produce a mycotoxin called Deoxynivalenol, more commonly known as DON. At low levels - about three to five parts per million - it’s not considered toxic to livestock.
But about one-quarter of this year’s corn harvest is coming in levels as high as 20 parts per million. In many cases, elevators won’t accept it because it can’t be used by end users. Derek Freitag, Bayer Crop Science’s regional agronomy lead for eastern Canada, says severe cases of Gibberella ear rot can mummify the corn’s ears.
“You can actually smell it coming off the field,” Freitag says.
Besides making livestock producers nervous, concerned about the price and availability of feed, DON is leaving corn producers anxious about if and how they’ll sell their crop.
Moisture leads to mould
Dale Cowan, senior agronomist with AGRIS and Wanstead co-ops says agronomically, dampness is measured in hours of leaf wetness, the amount of time corn plant leaves under the canopy are damp. Elongated wetness due to excessive fog, dew and precipitation creates an environment for mould growth.
Ontario is the most affected province. However, a cross-Canada survey by Alltech’s mycotoxin management team showed while corn silage from Alberta and Saskatchewan had levels of mycotoxins lower than Ontario and British Columbia, the two Prairie provinces had increased risk from mycotoxins in barley silage.
Ontario is now trying to determine how to manage its corn. Research is underway with ethanol producers to determine if it can ultimately be used for ethanol processing. Industry officials are unsure the distillers dry grains, a byproduct of ethanol production, will be usable for animal feed.
Management strategies
Cowan says DON-infected corn requires careful management.
First, he says, scout fields to determine which are affected. He suggests harvesting them last - by then, perhaps a market will open up for that corn.
Freitag urges producers to get quality corn harvested as soon as possible.
“The longer crops are out there, the worse they may get,” Freitag says.
Take precautions
The Ontario Federation of Agriculture is concerned the high mycotoxin levels could affect producers’ physical health. In his weekly bulletin, president Keith Currie urges producers to be safe when handling DON-infected corn.
“Inhaling the fungi-derived poison can have serious health implications, restricting airways and proper lung function,” Currie says.
Currie says to prevent exposure, use protective gloves and eye protection, wear a mask and only work in well-ventilated areas. The greatest risks of exposure can occur in semi-enclosed places like grain bins and the areas around operating combines and loading wagons, he says.
Bottom line
Producers are urged to take management strategies to deal with this year’s significant mycotoxin problem. Scout fields and harvest the best quality corn first, then return to the DON-affected areas, as viable markets may open as harvest progresses.
Source : Farm Credit Canada