No-till Corn Planting
Many farmers are now just starting to plant corn. For Northern Ohio, the ideal time to plant corn is late April until May 10 for optimal corn yields. In the Midwest, estimated yield losses for corn are about 0.3% per day initially reaching about 1% loss per day by the end May (Nielsen, 2013). Yield losses are based on many factors including the risks of hot dry conditions during pollination, insect and diseases pressures, and a shorter growing season; which may or may not occur. In 2010-2011, late planted crops produced great yields because of timely summer rains. According to Peter Thomison, OSU corn specialist, “Lower grain yields are not a certainty with late plantings. While delayed planting may cause slightly lower yields, planting date is just one of many factors that influence corn yield. Weather conditions (rainfall and temperature) in July and August are probably the most important yield factors. However, if late planted crops experience severe moisture stress during pol...