Information Resources for Challenging Crop Harvest Conditions

he impetus for this collection of articles came from the challenging 2009 harvest season in Indiana and throughout the Midwest. Delayed planting of crops, slow crop development due to cool summer temperatures, significant incidence of late season foliar diseases and ear rots in corn, slow grain dry down due to cool fall temperatures, and frequent periods of rain resulted in a frustrating end to the growing season. The articles linked below represent a collection of information about various aspects of managing the harvest and handling of a late crop that is further impacted by disease, high moisture grain, and freeze damage to immature grain.

Maturity and Field Dry Down of Corn Grain
Frost-Damaged Crops
Grain Diseases & Mycotoxins
Mycotoxin Testing Facilities
Feeding Issues w/ Moldy Grain
Harvesting Issues
Grain Drying and Storage
Crop Insurance Issues
Soil Management & Tillage
Other Crop Harvest & Grain Quality Web Sites

When in doubt about the applicability of the information to your geographic area of the country, please contact the author(s) of the articles or consult with your own university Extension specialists.

These links were last verified August 2015. The dates in parentheses following the publication titles refer to the year of publication. Please send comments or dead link alerts to R.L. (Bob) Nielsen (rnielsen at purdue.edu).

Calculating Grain Weight Shrinkage in Corn Due to Mechanical Drying (1991): Univ of Minnesota
Corn Crop Continues Snail's Pace of Grain Drying & Harvest (2009): Purdue Univ.
Corn Kernels Sprouting on the Ear (2009): Univ. of Kentucky
Effects of Stress During Grain Filling in Corn (2013): Purdue Univ.
Field Drydown of Mature Corn Grain (2013): Purdue Univ.
Field Drying and Scheduling Corn Harvest (2010): Ohio State Univ.
Grain Fill Stages in Corn (2013): Purdue Univ.
How Will Delaying Corn Harvest Affect Yield, Grain Quality and Moisture? (2009): Ohio State Univ.
In-Field Drydown Rates and Harvest (2010): Iowa State Univ.
Late Harvest Issues (2009): Univ of Illinois
Some Pros and Cons of Letting Corn Stand in the Field Through Winter (2004): Univ. of Wisconsin
Soybean Quality Issues (2009): Iowa State Univ.
Stress During Grain Fill: A Harbinger of Stalk Health Problems (2013): Purdue Univ.
Test Weight Issues in Corn (2014): Purdue Univ.
Weigh Risk of Leaving Corn Stand Through Winter (2009): Univ of Wisconsin
Wet Weather Can Cause Seeds to Sprout before Harvest (2009): Univ. of Missouri

Feeding Frosted Forages (2009): Ohio State Univ.
Frost Damage and Corn Silage Options (2009): Univ. of Kentucky
Frost Damaged or Immature Corn: Forage Options (2004): South Dakota State Univ.
Handling Frost Damaged Corn (2009): Ohio State Univ.
Harvesting Immature Corn and Soybeans for Forage After a Killing Frost (2004): Univ. of Minnesota
Managing Immature and Frosted Corn Silage (2006): Univ. of Vermont

Aflatoxins and Drought (2012): Texas A&M Univ (a Web site devoted to the topic)
Aflatoxin and Grain Storage (2012): Iowa State Univ.
Aflatoxin in Baled Corn (2010): Texas A&M Univ
Aflatoxins in Corn (2010): Univ of Missouri
Aflatoxin in corn: A potential concern in dry years (2012): Kansas State Univ
Application of Fungicides to Corn/Soybeans Under Drought Conditions is a Bad Idea (2012): Univ of Kentucky
Aspergillus Ear Rot (2011): Purdue Univ
Aspergillus Ear Rot and Aflatoxin Production (2012): Iowa State Univ
Check Cornfields for Aspergillus Ear Rot (2012): Univ of Illinois
Choose Wisely……Avoid unprofitable strategies to manage moldy grain (2010): Purdue Univ.
Corn Ear Rot: Which One is It? (2009): Ohio State Univ.
Corn Ear Rot and Potential Mycotoxin (2009): Ohio State Univ.
Corn Ear Molds and Stalk Rots (2009): Pennsylvania State Univ.
Corn Quality Issues – Field Molds (2009): Iowa State Univ.
Dealing with Diplodia Ear Rot (2009): Purdue Univ.
Dealing with Moldy Corn and Mycotoxin Risks (2009): Univ of Illinois
Diplodia Ear Rot (2009): Purdue Univ.
Diplodia Ear Rot of Corn (2001): Ohio State Univ.
Drought May Result in Aflatoxin Contaminated Corn (2012): Univ of Missouri
Ear Mold Issues in Corn (2011): Pennsylvania State Univ.
Ear Rot of Corn Caused by Stenocarpella maydis (=Diplodia maydis) (1997): Univ. of Kentucky
Fungal Growth on Corn ("Moldy Corn") in Minnesota in Fall 2009: Univ. of Minnesota
Fusarium Ear Rot and Fumonisons (2012): Univ of Kentucky
Get Grain Tested for Mycotoxin before Making a Decision (2009): Ohio State Univ.
Gibberella Ear Rot of Corn (2010): Purdue Univ.
How Delayed Harvest Might Affect Ear Rots and Mycotoxin Contamination (2009): Iowa State Univ.
Moldy Grains, Mycotoxins and Feeding Problems (2009): Penn State Univ, Ohio State Univ, Iowa State Univ, Univ of Kentucky, and Purdue Univ.
Mycotoxins: Iowa State Univ. College of Vet. Med.
Mycotoxin Contamination in Corn (2010): Iowa State Univ.
Q & A on Moldy Grain and Mycotoxins, Part 1: 2009 Crop (2009): Ohio State Univ.
Q & A on Moldy Grain and Mycotoxins, Part 2: Handling Corn in Storage (2010): Ohio State Univ.
Q & A on Moldy Grain and Mycotoxins, Part 3: 2010 Hybrid Selection and Management (2010): Ohio State Univ.
Reduce Risk of Mycotoxin Contamination by Scouting Fields for Ear Rot (2011): Iowa State Univ.
Sampling and Analyzing Feed for Fungal (Mold) Toxins (Mycotoxins) (2012): Univ of Nebraska
Sampling for Aflatoxin (2006): Texas A&M Univ
Scouting Corn for Aspergillus Ear Rot (2012): Univ of Kentucky
Watch for Gibberella Ear Rot in Corn (2009): Univ. of Kentucky

Animal Disease Diagnostic Laboratory (2012): Purdue Univ.
Labs Certified by GIPSA for Alflatoxin Testing (2012): Univ of Nebraska
Laboratories for Mycotoxin Analyses (2009): Univ. of Kentucky

Diplodia Damaged Corn Grain: Assessing Feed Value (2004): Ohio State Univ
Moldy Grains, Mycotoxins and Feeding Problems (2009): Penn State Univ, Ohio State Univ, Iowa State Univ, Univ of Kentucky, and Purdue Univ.
Sampling and Analyzing Feed Fungal (Mold) Toxins (Mycotoxins) (2003): Univ. of Nebraska
Understanding Fungal (Mold) Toxins (Mycotoxins) (2003): Univ. of Nebraska
Use of Feed Contaminated with Fungal (Mold) Toxins (Mycotoxins) (2003): Univ. of Nebraska

Combine Considerations for a Wet Corn Harvest (2009): Univ of Wisconsin
Corn Harvesting Equipment for Wind Damaged Corn (2009): Pennsylvania State Univ.
Harvesting Corn after Rain, Snow and Wind (2010): Univ of Nebraska
Harvest Tips for Lodged Corn (2011): Iowa State Univ.
Standing Corn Still in the Field? Try Grazing to Capture Its Value (2010): Univ of Nebraska
Tips for Harvesting Corn in the Snow (2010): Univ of Nebraska
Yield Losses and Harvesting Challenges for Severely Lodged Corn (2008): Purdue Univ.

A Tough Harvest - Frequently Asked Questions (2009): Iowa State Univ.
Answers to Your Grain Drying Questions (2009): Univ. of Nebraska
Corn Quality Issues – Storage Management (2009): Iowa State Univ.
Drying, Handling, & Storing Wet, Immature, & Frost-Damaged Corn (2004): Univ of Minnesota
Drying Soybeans (2009): Purdue Univ.
Harvesting, Handling, and Drying Corn with Ear Rots (2009): Purdue Univ.
In-Bin Drying of Corn (2009): Purdue Univ.
Late Harvest of Wheat and Grain Quality Concerns (2015): Ohio State Univ.
Low-Temperature Drying of Corn (1992): Purdue Univ.
Natural-Air Corn Drying in the Upper Midwest (2009): Univ of Minnesota
Optimizing Grain Dryer Operations (1992): Purdue Univ.
Post-Harvest Tips for Later Maturing Corn (2009): North Dakota State Univ.
Storing, Drying, and Handling Wet Soybeans (2014): Univ of Minnesota and North Dakota State Univ.

Aflatoxin: Crop Insurance (2012): Iowa State Univ.
Aflatoxin in Corn and Crop Insurance (2012): Univ of Missouri
Aflatoxin Testing: IL, IN, MI, & OH (2012): USDA - Risk Management Agency
Crop insurance: Follow the rules to ensure the best outcome (2012): Michigan State Univ
Crop Insurance Implications of Aflatoxin in Corn (2011): Univ of Illinois
Crops salvaged from insured fields will reduce crop insurance payments (2012): Michigan State Univ; Univ of Kentucky
Late Harvest and Crop Insurance Coverage (2009): Iowa State Univ.
Loss Adjustment Procedures for Aflatoxin (2012): USDA - Risk Management Agency

Fall tillage management in wet soil conditions (2009): Univ of Minnesota
Removing Ruts from Fields (2007): Univ. of Kentucky
Repairing Harvest Ruts (2015): Michigan State Univ.
Soil Management of Harvest Ruts (2009): Iowa State Univ.
Tillage Considerations for Wet Soil Following a Late Harvest (2009): Univ. of Minnesota
What to do with Rutted, Compacted Fields? (2012): Ohio State Univ.

Grain Production & Management: Univ. of Wisconsin
Grain Storage - Calculators & Tools: Univ of Kentucky
Grain Storage Management: Univ. of Nebraska
Iowa Grain Quality Initiative: Iowa State Univ.
Post Harvest Grain Quality & Stored Product Protection Program: Purdue Univ.