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Scout corn for mold — you might be surprised

Corn Commentary: Ear molds can be found even in good corn during a dry spell. Here’s what to do if you find some.

Tom J. Bechman, Midwest Crops Editor

October 8, 2024

2 Min Read
mold on tip of corn ear
UNEXPECTED: Purdue corn specialist Dan Quinn didn’t expect to find mold when he pulled back husks on this large ear in the Corn Commentary field in mid-September. This is a reminder that molds and mycotoxins can show up anywhere. Tom J. Bechman

You aren’t surprised to find ear mold during a wet season or when corn is stressed. However, you likely aren’t thinking about finding mold while walking a field of excellent corn in mid-September. Yet when Dan Quinn pulled back husks on an otherwise perfect ear, he found ear mold growing near the tip. Later, his cursory inspection tour turned up another ear with mold.

“Ear molds and mycotoxins that they can produce are an increasing problem in the Midwest,” explains Quinn, Purdue Extension corn specialist. “There are definitely weather conditions and environments which favor ear mold development, but we can find them in any field.”

The first step when you find ear mold is to attempt to identify it, Quinn advises. While it would take submission to a lab for confirmation, using an aid such as the Purdue Corn and Soybean Field Guide can often get you in the ballpark. Knowing which mold you found can help tweak management strategies to minimize ear mold and mycotoxin issues in the future.

“The mold on this ear [pictured above] was likely gibberella,” Quinn says. “It has a pinkish tinge, and it started near the tip, indicative of that disease.”

There is no way to tell by looking if an infected ear will produce mycotoxin. Testing grain samples for mycotoxins can be expensive. However, because gibberella can produce a mycotoxin called vomitoxin, the safest assumption is that it may be present until you know otherwise, Quinn says. Vomitoxin can cause performance issues if fed to pigs. You also will not know what levels of vomitoxin could be in your crop.

Related:Tar spot runs rampant after fungicide plays out

Managing mycotoxins

What can you do if you find even a small amount of mold in standing corn? “Mark it for harvest as soon as you can,” Quinn says. “In areas hard hit with mycotoxin issues, that is the No. 1 piece of advice. You don’t want it to remain in the field.”

If corn with ear mold and mycotoxin issues remains in the field, there is the potential for mycotoxin levels to increase. Weather conditions while corn is still in the field will partially determine whether more mold growth is favored.

If you are storing corn that may contain ear mold and potential mycotoxins on the farm, dry it to 15% as soon as possible. If it is going into long-term storage, most specialists recommend dropping moisture to 13%.

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About the Author

Tom J. Bechman

Midwest Crops Editor, Farm Progress

Tom J. Bechman became the Midwest Crops editor at Farm Progress in 2024 after serving as editor of Indiana Prairie Farmer for 23 years. He joined Farm Progress in 1981 as a field editor, first writing stories to help farmers adjust to a difficult harvest after a tough weather year. His goal today is the same — writing stories that help farmers adjust to a changing environment in a profitable manner.

Bechman knows about Indiana agriculture because he grew up on a small dairy farm and worked with young farmers as a vocational agriculture teacher and FFA advisor before joining Farm Progress. He works closely with Purdue University specialists, Indiana Farm Bureau and commodity groups to cover cutting-edge issues affecting farmers. He specializes in writing crop stories with a focus on obtaining the highest and most economical yields possible.

Tom and his wife, Carla, have four children: Allison, Ashley, Daniel and Kayla, plus eight grandchildren. They raise produce for the food pantry and house 4-H animals for the grandkids on their small acreage near Franklin, Ind.

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