Battle for the Belt: Season 2 Episode 11- Freeze-Damaged Corn Update

Episode 11 of Battle for the Belt is now available: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=YI8QhJRL07k&list=PLYlh_BdeqniJ4J-htcJ9Z5MjULk3E8Eqk&index=23&t=1s

In Episode 11, we join Taylor Dill, PhD student for Battle for the Belt, for a field update on freeze-damaged corn.

Freeze damage is a risk when corn and soybeans are planted ultra early. Freeze damage occurred earlier this year at the Western Agricultural Research Station. Corn planted on March 25^th sustained freeze damage between April 21^st and 22^nd with temperatures reaching as low as 27°F and temperatures lingering at 30°F. A couple of days later, another cold front came in. The corn had extensive visual damage, and the first two leaves on most of the plants died (Figure 1). Generally, corn will recover from frost damage unless soil temperatures reach <28°F. If the growing point is below ground usually, the crop is safe from freeze damage. Unless the soil reaches freezing at the depth where the growing point is. This damage can be observed by 

pulling up a plant and evaluating the mesocotyl. Corn will recover best if the damage occurs before V3 because the seed has enough energy reserves to recover. Corn damaged after V3 will generally recover if there is only partial leaf area damage.

On June 3^rd, the March 25^th planted corn was observed. The corn has fully recovered from the early season stress and is currently at growth stage V8. Corn is a resilient crop especially when the growing point (apical meristem) is below ground. When the apical meristem is compromised the crop will die and cannot put on new growth. This freeze happened between V1 and V2, and

the soil did not freeze, therefore there was enough energy to recover the crop. Yield data will assist in showing if this damage had an economic impact.

What’s happening in the field?

This week, planting dates one, two, and three corn was side-dressed at the Western location. Planting date one soybeans are still producing flowers but not as prolifically as if they entered reproductive stages at the end of June or early July. Planting date five will be planted in the next couple of weeks. Cooler weather from the week prior slowed crop growth

The Northwest location had rain and cooler weather preventing planting date three from being planted and only adding one growth stage to each crop.

At the Wooster location, planting date four was planted on June 4^th with good planting conditions. This location has been wet, and some corn plots do have flooding damage; however, there is little disease and insect pressure.

A summary of weekly conditions for all three sites and completed planting dates is presented in Table 2.

Table 1. Planting conditions for planting date four at the Wooster Campus.

Table 2. Weekly weather conditions for each updated planting date at the Western Agriculture Research Station, Northwest Agriculture Research Station, and Wooster Campus, with day of planting, soil, air temperature averages, and Growing Degree Days (GDDs) from June 2 to June 9. Information from CFAES Weather System (https://weather.cfaes.osu.edu/).