Corn Growers Association of NC July Newsletter
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Collapse ▲A Good Season to Have a Good Season
NC State Extension Cropping Specialist
I received a number of calls late last winter and into early spring asking the same question; Should I plant corn this year and if I do how many acres should I plant? Following a terrible 2024 corn crop and facing headwinds of high input costs and low prices, the issue was farmers needed to have a good crop to stay in the farming business. I admit that with my fingers tightly crossed I encouraged many by pointing out that the outlook for the coming season was timely rainfall and the unrealized chance for better prices. Thankfully, today we see the fulfillment of those hopes. Timely rainfall (in several cases too much rainfall) has brought us to the potential of an excellent corn crop and even corn prices show some signs of strength. What a good season to have a good season!The issue now is how to capitalize on what good management and nature has done to this point. Two things are important to focus on; First, protecting the crop from insects, diseases, and damage. Both Dominic and Daisy have included some good advice on the topics of insects and diseases in this newsletter.
On the issue of damage, as I write this we have already seen some tropical storm activity leading to flooding in the Northern Piedmont. It will be critical to try to get harvest done as early as possible this year. Fortunately, warm temperatures have pushed this crop along and it is clear we will have the potential for an early harvest. It will be important to get this crop out of the field and in the bin as soon as possible.
The question is – “What can I do about that?”
While applications of 40 to 50 lbs of N per acre can be done through growth stage R5 (dent stage) the fact is that it is difficult to apply N to a corn crop as tall as this one. Those with irrigation that have injection capabilities or the use of a drone application using dry ammonium sulfate or urea are the only good options.
Keep in mind that there is ample evidence that tissue concentrations of N in the ear leaf at dent stage are directly related to yield potential, such that 2% N equals 200 bushel per acre corn yield, 3% equals 300 bushels per acre, 4% equals 400 bushels per acre, and so on.
Therefore, having enough N in the corn is important at this stage of the season.
Along with knowing that you have enough N the other important question is; am I capturing all the light I can? A positive answer to this question depends on three things: a full, healthy canopy of leaves, good soil moisture to maintain leaf function, and the right atmospheric conditions that maximize light intensity. A full healthy canopy of leaves means having the right plant density (plant population) and utilizing hybrids with optimum leaf angles. Good soil moisture, moderate temperatures, and optimizing the metabolic systems of the leaf are essential to good leaf function.
As this season wraps up we should consider these two “do I have enough” questions and make sure these areas of plant needs are always covered. As we can remember from this past year a good season is hard to find. So, let’s do all we can to maximize yield potential this year.
Stink Bugs are Out There!
Professor and Extension Specialist, Entomology
NC State UniversityIn 2025, stink bugs have shown up in corn over threshold in Sampson County. Johnston, Sampson, and Wayne counties have been a hotspot for these insects in corn in recent years. Over the past few years we have sampled in the Blacklands area, we haven’t found any fields that exceeded threshold.
Last week and this week, we sampled 10 fields in Bertie, Martin, and Washington Counties. We only found a few stink bugs and numbers were well below threshold.
I encourage growers to use our most up-to-date information and thresholds. Because each field needs to be scouted separately, it’s best to hire a consultant. A few independent consultants offer scouting programs for stink bugs in corn, following our scouting recommendations.
Not Too Late To Apply Fungicides
Assistant Professor and Extension Plant Pathologist
Corn | Cotton | Tobacco | Strawberry
Department of Entomology and Plant Pathology
North Carolina State UniversityCorn is currently at the tasseling and silking stages across North Carolina, which is typically when fungicides are applied to manage foliar diseases. Gray leaf spot, southern corn leaf blight, and holcus spot are the most commonly observed diseases. In most cases, these occur at low severity and/or have minimal impact on yield. Nevertheless, there have been numerous questions about whether a fungicide application provides a positive return in North Carolina.
Read the full article here to explore scouting tips, timing recommendations, return of investment (ROI) considerations and tools, and the latest efficacy ratings:
Considerations for Fungicide Applications in North Carolina Corn