Search

Management of Flood-submerged Grain

September 7, 2021

In a sudden turn of weather events, there have been several severe storms in the northeast and east central crop reporting districts of Iowa. These storms have created the potential for grain quality problems; of the most immediate need for action are those corn and soybean fields that have been flooded above the grain level. Fields with lodging will have more grain susceptible to flooding.

2020 Drought and Derecho Impacted Corn-Harvest, Mycotoxin Testing and Storage

September 9, 2020

The August 10 derecho left portions of Iowa with broken, uprooted, and damaged corn across a significant portion of the state. Paired with drought conditions across the state, especially in west central Iowa, growers should be on the lookout for mycotoxin issues in this years’ crop, especially aflatoxins and fumonisins, as discussed in “Drought and Derecho Increase Mycotoxin Risk in 2020 Iowa Corn Crop-Scouting and Monitoring Fields”. For fields that are intended to be harvested, considerations for harvest, mycotoxin testing, and storage are presented below.

Crop: 

Drought and Derecho Increase Mycotoxin Risk in 2020 Iowa Corn Crop-Scouting and Monitoring Fields

September 9, 2020
Figure 1. The olive green, powdery mold that characterizes Aspergillus ear rot can be seen on this corn ear.  Photo courtesy of Alison Robertson.

The majority of Iowa is currently in moderate to severe drought, with west central Iowa under the most extreme drought. As if drought were not enough, we were dealt another blow with extreme and widespread wind damage on August 10, some of which overlapped the drought area. With these events come an increased risk for ear rots and associated mycotoxins. This article will address ear rots and mycotoxins of particular concern this year, in addition to scouting methods and monitoring considerations while grain is still in the field.

Crop: 

Webinar to be offered on June 3 “Ongoing Impacts from the 2019 Harvest and Early 2020 Crop Forecast”

May 28, 2020 2:58 PM
Blog Post

Iowa State’s Dr. Charles Hurburgh will be presenting on the topic “Ongoing Impacts from the 2019 Harvest and Early 2020 Crop Forecast” as an installment in the Grain Elevator and Processing Society’s summer learning series, sponsored by Sukup Manufacturing Co.  This webinar is being offered on June 3 at 10 a.m.

Frost Damage to Soybeans

October 17, 2019 1:41 PM
Blog Post

Temperatures fell into the low 30’s and upper 20’s in most of Iowa over the weekend of October 11-13.  Because of the very late planting season, some crops were immature enough to be injured by the freezing temperatures. This ICM Blog will address frost damage concerns to soybeans.  

Frost normally forms early in the morning, driven by radiation cooling especially on clear cold nights.  The visual impact of the frost damage is most evident the next day (Figure 1).

Flooding and Stored Grain

March 19, 2019

The rapid snowmelt in Spring 2019 has caused instances of stored grain being covered with floodwater. By current Food and Drug Administration (FDA) policy, grain inundated by uncontrolled river or stream water is considered adulterated and must be destroyed.  The situation in 2019 is one of river water flooding rather than of rain-driven pooled water in low ground, for which there are salvage options.   As shown by the example of the inundated Omaha sewage treatment plant, river-based floodwaters can bring in many hazards and rapid spoilage. 

Crops: 

Management of Flood-submerged Grain

September 27, 2018
corn in flooded field

There have been flooded fields with water over the grain in Southwest, Northwest and East Central Iowa this year. This was caused by intense rains over Labor Day and the following weekends. Poor stalk strength causing downed corn has increased the amount of grain covered by flood waters. Grain submerged by uncontrolled flood waters is considered adulterated under the Food Drug and Cosmetic Act. This policy dates to 2008 when grain storage in Cedar Rapids were inundated and has been applied to several situations since then.

Crop: 

Pages