Early April planted corn is nearing black layer. Ear condition is decent for the most part, but we are seeing some sprouting on ears where hybrids have short, loose husks and some ears with diplodia or other molds. At this point, the best remedy to maintain ear quality is dry weather since ears are all turned upwards on plants. Yield potential is excellent in many areas around the state and should make for some interesting pre-harvest yield estimates.
There are a number of ways to estimate yield prior to harvest. It is important to take a representative ear and kernel count from a half dozen locations if possible and omit kernels that are too underdeveloped to make it to the grain wagon. I have yet to find any formula that is a true match to actual harvest yield but better growing conditions may make this year’s estimates more accurate. This is one way to calculate potential yield in a field:
(Ear # for 1000th of acre) multiplied by (average kernel #) divided by (stress factor).
Stress factor:
Excellent growing conditions (75 to 80)
Average growing conditions (85 to 90) (would use this if field ran out of N early or had other stress)
Poor growing conditions (95 to 105)
