by Ken Ostlie

Problems with lodging in field corn have been reported across Minnesota.  Goose-necked or falling stalks from a variety of causes can complicate harvest and lengthen harvesting times.  With earlier rainy and snowy weather already delaying harvest, growers can ill afford the surprise of unexpected lodging in their fields.  Occasional damage from corn rootworms in triple-stack corn has also occurred. Now is the time to assess how well fields are standing, adjust harvesting priorities and investigate the causes behind unexpectedly lodged corn.

In 2008 University of Minnesota Extension launched an on farm research project evaluating continuous corn production under a series of different tillage systems on six farms across Minnesota. For the sake of brevity this article will only address one site in Southeastern Minnesota that is located near Faribault.

The tillage systems studied include a conventional moldboard plow system, a chisel plow system representing a traditional conservation tillage, and strip till as a higher residue conservation tillage system.