Indiana Corn Research & Updates Newsletter
Indiana Corn Update - Issue #27 — 12 March 2026
Early weed control, planting conditions, and nitrogen–sulfur management influence corn performance.
News
Recent Kernel News
The Kernel
Wrapped Tassels in Corn: Now What? — 04 August 2025
One of the more unusual issues showing up in Indiana corn fields this summer is “tassel wrapping”, a phenomenon where the uppermost...
The Kernel
From Traditional N Management to Sensor-Based Decisions: What to Know Before Applying Nitrogen — 26 June 2025
Agriculture is in an era of transition, from traditional, uniform nitrogen (N) management toward more site-specific and digitally informed...
The Kernel
Corn Plant Populations and the Potential for Reducing Seed Costs — 23 April 2025
Seed represents one of the largest variable input costs for Indiana corn growers—second only to fertilizer. As such, selecting the correct...
The Kernel
Droopy Ears? – Understanding Premature Ear Drop in Corn — 30 September 2024
As corn advances through grain fill and approaches physiological maturity (black layer), one thing to watch for is premature ear declination or...
The Kernel
Corn Harvest and the Importance of Watching for Ear Rots — 30 September 2024
As corn harvest approaches in Indiana, it is important to start monitoring and managing for the presence of ear rots. Ear rots can reduce corn...
The Kernel
Making Sense of Grain Test Weight in Corn — 30 September 2024
Although yield is always at the forefront of many corn farmers and agronomists’ minds during harvest, another important discussion topic each...
The Kernel
"Flattened" or "Root Lodged" Corn caused by Heavy Rain and Wind - Now What? — 10 July 2024
Recent storms and heavy rainfall brought on by the remnants of Hurricane Beryl have crossed parts of Indiana this week and brought excessive winds...
The Kernel
Potential Impacts of Heavy Rainfall and Recent Flooding on Corn Growth and Yield — 10 July 2024
In the last week, much of Indiana has received the remnants of Hurricane Beryl, with various locations receiving rainfall totals of 3-4+ inches of...
The Kernel
"Corkscrewed" Mesocotyls: What Does it Mean? — 23 April 2024
As planting season begins and corn plants begins to emerge, a very important step to take each spring is to assess the emergence of the corn plants...
The Kernel
Short-Stature Corn Hybrids: Next Evolution in U.S. Corn Production? — 16 February 2024
Lately, several prominent agricultural seed and genetic companies have started introducing novel corn hybrids characterized as...
The Kernel
Understanding Black Layer Formation in Corn — 21 November 2023
The use of the term “black layer” is often a universal method among farmers and agronomists for determining when a corn plant has...
The Kernel
Paying Attention to In-Season Nitrogen Timing is Important when following a Rye Cover Crop — 21 November 2023
Managing and maintaining a high-yielding corn crop following a cereal rye cover crop can often be a challenging task. Cereal rye hosts a large...
The Kernel
Stalk and Ear Rots: The Importance of Identifying Them Now to Help with Harvest Decisions — 21 September 2023
It is now time to evaluate fields for any stalk or ear rot symptoms. This will aid in making assessments about field harvest order and if there is...
The Kernel
Silk Emergence, Silk Length, and Missing "Butt" Kernels — 21 August 2023
The process of pollination is one of the most critical periods for grain yield determination in corn and successful pollination is largely...
