Warm temperatures will help boost corn maturity. NDSU Extension Cereals Agronomist Joel Ransom says the corn crop will gain some much-needed growing degree units. “These warm days are beneficial, but there aren’t enough of them yet. I think our growing degree units were about 200 to 300 behind normal,” says Ransom. “We got planted late, so that doesn’t help. This time of the year, it’s harder to add too much.” Ransom says crop maturity is the number one concern for farmers. “Can we fill kernels and make the most of the yield potential out there? We do have a reasonably good crop out there in most cases,” says Ransom. “The second concern is if we get to black layer, we have a long way to go to dry down. The later we get in the season, the longer it will take to dry down.”
