Corn Facts: Drought And Harvest 2023

Drought conditions seriously threatened the 2023 grain corn crop in Manitoba. From planting until mid-September, many local fields remained depleted of adequate moisture to support good corn growth and development. As harvest occurs, it is easy to see where the drought impacted yields the most and where crops were graced with timely rains and have succeeded in yielding well.

The following are some facts that help tell the story of 2023 and why some fields were affected more than others:

• Nodal root development and functionality is reliant on soil moisture. At a shallow depth of 0.75 inches, if soil moisture is not available, the roots cannot properly establish, extract soil water or nutrients, or support upright growth of the corn plant.
• Corn leaves roll and appear pineapple- or onion-like in response to heat and drought. This decreases the surface area exposed to sunlight and reduces transpiration. Unfortunately, it also reduces photosynthetic activity in the plant, which impacts both maturity and yield.
• Kernel rows per ear have been said to be determined by V6. Number of rows is determined more by genetics than by environment.