Corn Types

MikePA · Nov 13, 2001

The last time I walked through a corn field was many years ago when I worked for my father-in-law-to-be who was a civil engineer. When farms got turned into developments, we were hired to do the land surveys and subdivision plans. As I recall, at the bottom of the corn stalks were 4 or 5 'tenticles' that went down into the ground.

In walking through the 3 acres we just bought to take soil samples, which has corn in it now, the stalks are a straight shaft that goes straight into the ground. No tenticles.

Different type of corn?

cowboydoc · Nov 13, 2001

Mike,
With all the new hybrids, genetics, etc. they do so many different things with corn today that it really is scary. They even have a corn now from Dekalb that drys itself in the field so you don't have to put it in a corn dryer!!

rdln · Nov 13, 2001

all corn will dry in a field by itself given time, sun and wind, I would say that farmers who walk the fine line between maturity days and weather to get the best yields may feel they can afford the equipment and propane to dry in the bins. My guess on your root structure is two things:
Roots grow toward water, if soil drains like sand, moisture is deeper, if clay and plenty of rain roots may grown outward and shallow - or - heavy rains pounded row cultivated soil after roots were established.

cowboydoc · Nov 13, 2001

Steve,
I know and probably everyone does that corn will dry on it's own in the fields. To answer your question no most farmers these days don't have the money to dry corn in the fields. The average farmer is in the hole when it comes to prices of corn. So if they can save $7 an acre, average price to dry corn, then that's pretty significant. This corn drys faster than regular and is ready in a very short time past maturation. If you know then you are aware that when you take your corn to sell the elevator significantly docks you if it is either too dry or too wet. So I think that the issue of drying is a rather significant one to any farmer.

Secondly root systems are very variable. There are several varieties now that are being tested and on the market that are insect resistant. The root system is variable on all of them. Yes your explanation is also plausible.

rdln · Nov 13, 2001

I could tell from reading past replies that you know better but to a "newbie" your post could be misleading, that is saying "bin drying" was the only way. I have never taken any crop to the market, I just let the critters harvest it over the winter. But I do try to learn as much as I can, through the Internet, neighbors, Farm Bureau membership and such.