Plant lodging resistance is an important agronomic trait to possess in corn, especially as harvest nears.
Wind damage in the form of lodging greatly impacts plants as they approach tasseling and beyond. Stalks become less flexible, making it more difficult for the plant to reorient itself. If the plant is unable to reorient its stalks and leaves, a reduction of photosynthesis can occur. Decreased or poor pollination with leaves enveloping silks is another potential effect of harsh winds.
While the severity of wind damage may vary from field to field, it is essential for growers and experts to understand the impacts of this stressor, and how to continue after a farm has been affected. On August 24 at 12:00 CDT, Seed Speaks is addressing how high wind and lodging impact corn as harvest nears. Joining us are:
Alex Lindsey, associate professor of Crop Ecophysiology in the Department of Horticulture and Crop Science at Ohio State University. Since joining the faculty in 2015, Lindsey has focused on how crops interact with environmental factors to influence growth and yield. He also teaches courses on crop production, plant physiology and seed science and serves as coordinating advisor for the Agronomy specialization of the Sustainable Plant Systems major. Lindsey received his PhD in Agronomy from The Ohio State University in 2015 under Peter Thomison and has been a Certified Crop Advisor since 2009. Prior to coming to Ohio, he received his BS and MS degrees from Michigan State University.
Bob Nielsen, Extension Corn specialist and professor of Agronomy at Purdue University. Nielsen was raised on a farm in eastern Nebraska, obtained a B.S. degree at the University of Nebraska and graduate degrees at the University of Minnesota. He joined the Agronomy faculty at Purdue in 1982 with statewide responsibilities for applied field research, graduate student training and Extension programming with an emphasis on corn management practices. Nielsen’s field-scale research currently focuses on identifying the optimal management of nitrogen fertilizer, seeding rates, starter fertilizer, sulfur fertilizer, biological in-furrow amendments and the use of small UAVs for crop scouting and field research. His Extension programming focuses on optimizing yield, profitability and stewardship of corn production for growers in Indiana and throughout the eastern Corn Belt. Since the mid-1990’s, Nielsen has made extensive use of the Web as an Extension communication medium. His primary online presence was the KingCorn Web site that included the popular Chat ‘n Chew Cafe page that provided a “1-stop shop” for links to timely agronomic newsletters from land-grant universities throughout the Midwest, plus links to educational events and useful crop management references.
Make sure to tune in for the discussion at:
