Ear Molds can be an issue ever year to some degree. This can be due to husk coverage, rainfall/moisture after husks open up, or perhaps rotation. Scouting before harvest can help you determine if you have ear molds, and which ones you may have. This is very important for many reasons. First, if your corn is not dried properly, ear molds can grow inside your bin and damage more grain. Also, if you have ear molds that contain mycotoxins, you will need to isolate them in a separate bin to avoid contaminating your whole crop. 

Why is this important? Many elevators will dock or even refuse to take corn that has been damaged by ear molds. We expect that ear molds will be big for harvest 2020, so make sure to keep an eye out for deteriorating grain quality. Here are some things to look for/keep in mind when identifying ear molds in your fields.

ASPERGILLUS:

DIPLODIA:

FUSARIUM:

GIBBERELLA:

PENICILLUM:

TRICHODERMA:

DIPLODIA

GIBBERELLA

TRICHODERMA

FUSARIUM

IF YOU HAVE EAR MOLDS, PROPER DRYING AND STORAGE IS EXTREMELY IMPORTANT.

Harvest, Storage and Handling

Ear molds can continue to progress in fields until temperatures drop below 40 degrees and kernel moisture drops below 15 percent. Corn that is intended to be stored for a long period of time should be dried to below 15 percent within 48 hours of being harvested. This will significantly reduce the chance of molds spreading while in storage. Since high moisture corn will head during storage and cause the toxins to spread, any high moisture shell corn used for feed should be kept away from corn that shows signs of ear molds.

Steps to Reduce the Spread of Ear Molds in Grain Bins:

Prevention Strategies for 2021:

Be sure to scout your fields prior to harvest to determine if ear molds are present and which types. Be prepared to test corn that is intended for feed for the presence of mycotxins and understand the risk to both humans and animals.

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