How Weather Contributes to Lodging of Corn

By Pam Knox

If you have been following this blog for a while, you know that extreme weather such as high winds can contribute to the lodging of corn, where the stalks fall or are blown over, making harvest difficult. We saw that this summer in the Corn Belt with the devastating derecho that occurred there, but it can also happen in the Southeast with hurricanes or even severe thunderstorms. But weather can also contribute to lodging of corn by weakening the stalks through fungal diseases or pests, which are often linked to particular kinds of weather conditions. This article in Indiana Prairie Farmer describes some of the different ways that corn can become more susceptible to lodging and encourages producers to monitor their fields carefully through the year to identify developing problems. You can read it here.