Annual/Termination Reports:

[04/12/2002]

Report Information

Participants

Stromberg, Erik - VPI&SU; Warren, Herman - VPI&SU; Lacy, George - VPI&SU; Flincham, Lloyd - VPI&SU; Kratchovil, Bob - U.Md; Hawk, Jim - U.Del.; Weldekidan, Tecle - U. Del.; Galinat, Walt - U.Mass.; Ayers, John - Penn. State; Roth, Greg - Penn State; Smith, Margaret - Cornell U.; Ericson, Ramie - Cornell U.; Payne, Keith - Cornell U.; Nelsen, Ron - Cornell U.; Long, Jennifer - Cornell U.; Grant, Kelvin - Cornell U.; Reid, Lana - Agric.&Agri-Food Canada; Zhu, Xiaoyang - Agric.&Agri-Food Canada; Parker, Anthony - Agric.&Agri-Food Canada; Bouck, Dan - Agway; Guttendorf, Mark - Agway; Lovell, Tim - Corn States; Bush, Brian - Pioneer; Camerer, Bill - independent seedsman

Brief Summary of Minutes

57th NE Corn Improvement Conference --- Business Meeting





STATE/PROVINCE REPORTS FOR 2001 SEASON





Ontario/Quebec (A. Parker and L. Reid)



From mid-April to the beginning of May conditions were warm and dry for most of Ontario and West Quebec. This allowed for a large acreage of corn to be planted in the first few weeks of May. Abrupt change to cool wet conditions by mid-May, caused problems in some areas delaying planting by a few weeks. Temperatures and rainfall were moderate from late May to mid June. Advantages of early planting were observed. Advantages of pre-plant incorporated and pre-emergent weed control programs in areas with adequate soil moisture. In the mid-season, drought conditions made things hot and dry. Driest summer in 54 years. Drought conditions last until mid September. At harvest, drought stress was evident. Many fields plants were fired up to the cob. Ears are small, poor tip filling, and in some cases barren plants

Yields were variable throughout Southern Ontario and Western Quebec, ranging at the extremes from 20-250 bu/A. The estimated average in Canada is 103.1 bu/A. Most of the areas were between 80-120 bu/A. By late October only 30% of corn was harvested. With a long autumn and increased drying costs many farmers opted to delay harvesting. Poor stalk quality in some regions. Increased lodging after several days of high winds in mid October.

Significant reduction in precipitation for 2001 in Ontario. South Western Ontario received only 37% of the normal rainfall for July August (based on 30-yr. mean). Eastern Ontario received 53% of the normal for the same period. Average yields for 2001 in Quebec were 104.5 Bu/ac and Ontario 96.9 Bu/ac. Both regions below the 10 year average of 111.2 Bu/ac. Grain corn production increased from 17% from 6,500,000 tons in 2000 to 7,600,000 tons in 2001. Grain Corn acreage increased from 1,730,000 in 2000 to 1,950,000 in 2001 for Ontario. Silage corn acreage remained static in Ontario with 320,000 for 2000 and 2001.

First confirmed incidence of gray leaf spot in southern Ontario was made. Higher incidence of common smut in drier regions of southern Ontario. Low incidence of leaf diseases throughout southern Ontario and western Quebec. High incidence of anthracnose stalk rot in south western Ontario; some fields 100% incidence. Localized areas of ECB pressure in South Western Ontario.





New York (M. Smith)



Similar conditions as in Ontario and Quebec. Planting was earlier but was followed by variable weather. Western NY was droughty; the rest of the state was more variable. It was very warm in early August and caused low seed set in corn nurseries and loss of some yield trials. Yields ranged from low to very high (10-200 bu/A). Lots of missing ears due to drought and rootworm. Little leaf disease incidence or stewarts wilt. Fair amount of smut but not much ear mold. ECB levels were moderate but variable.





Pennsylvania (G. Roth and J. Ayers)



Similar conditions to NY. Spotty drought. An average yield of 94 bu/A with variable yields. It was dry at planting but planting was early; there were emergence problems. By May 15, rainy and cool weather caused slow growth and herbicide injury. Similar pest problems as NY; gray leaf spot was variable and high in some areas. Increased interest in development of an ethanol plant, narrow row and twin row concepts.





Massachusetts (W. Galinat)



Similar conditions as NY. Mostly sweet corn is grown in the state; increased interest on using plastic to improve sweet corn growth.





Delaware (J. Hawk)



The state had a good rainfall after a dry start with emergence problems. In late July - early August, dry, hot conditions resulted in the loss of some plots on the dryland trial however some GEM genotypes looked good. Average dryland yield of 142 bu/A and irrigated yield of 190 bu/A. Few insects, unusually low levels of Stewarts wilt in sweet corn. Lots of rain in the fall, some gray leaf spot, carbonum and anthracnose stalk rot but it was not windy so there was little lodging.





Maryland (R. Kratchovil)



Good conditions with an average yield of 140 bu/A. Good early season with early planting. In the mid-season it was rainy and cool resulting in slow growth and P deficiency in some locations. Precipitation was variable. The eastern regions had yields of 160-200 bu/A; the northern region which experienced drought had yields of 50-75 bu/A. Big concern right now is that precipitation levels are currently 8-12 inches below normal since Sept.; worried about having a dry 2002 season. Increased interest in ethanol production. Baltimore port collapsed, corn and soy have to be trucked out.





Virginia (E. Stromberg)



The season started good but got dryer later on; overall it was a good year. Average yields were 140 bu/A. There were 600,000 A of corn, half of which is cash grain. Corn is rotated with peanuts; corn is fed to hogs and poultry. VA is a corn importing state. Disease levels were normal, nothing major. Currently worried about the mild winter and increased Stewarts wilt. Conducting foliar fungicide trials and hybrid resistance evaluations for gray leaf spot. Concerned about dry winter and low water content in soils.





INDUSTRY REPORTS





Agway (D. Bouck, M. Guttendorf)



In Pennsylvania and New York, had good planting in May followed by dry weather with very poor emergence especially in southeastern PA. The fall was warm with good dry down of the grain crop. A significant percentage of seed corn is Roundup Ready.





Corn States/Holdens (T. Lovell and Wayne)



Stress at planting but adequate emergence. Early and medium maturing hybrids got pollinated before stress occurred in July/August; late maturing hybrids had lower yields. Learned a lot about performance in drought conditions. Had first and second generation European corn borer that allowed identification of good hybrids. The Penn State plot had good ratings for gray leaf spot, slightly low yields. The NY plot had good emergence and conditions most of the summer. Continuing to evaluate corn rootworm Bt tolerance; EPA approved, USDA and Japanese approvals are on track. EPA approvals not ready for planting in 2002. Submitted refugia plan to EPA; 20% non-resistant planted in same or adjacent fields. Not going to be called Maxgard, will be called Yieldgard corn rootworm resistance (like Yieldgard European corn borer resistance).





Independent Seedsmen (W. Camerer)



Early planted corn did the best. It was dry and hot in late July but better in August. Variable but overall a good year with record yields in some areas.





Pioneer (B. Bush)



Similar conditions to reported by others. Second generation European corn borer Bt-based resistance is coming out. This is a new event. Awaiting EPA approval.





NOMINATIONS



New secretary: from Corn States





NEW BUSINESS



M. Smith: Time to resubmit our organization for renewal and need to reapply to make NEC29 an official project. Must be done by August 2003. Greg Roth volunteered to draft the document with emphasis on reporting impacts and accomplishments for this year.



Next conference : February 2003 in Ottawa, Ontario (not Feb. 6-10 because this is the sweet corn meetings and not the third week of February because this will probably be the NCR meeting).

Accomplishments

Accomplishments for the past year included collaborative evaluations, proposal development, and funded research projects, as well as extensive information sharing on the status of field corn in the northeastern US and southeastern Canada. Promising inbred lines developed from breeding programs in several states and Canada were exchanged for cooperative evaluation of performance and pest resistance. Inbred releases utilized this multi-state evaluation data. IPM evaluations of Bt corn were initiated across three states in the region (PA, MD, NY) in 2000, and a successful proposal generated funding for this work in 2001. Disease management options were developed and published in Biological and Cultural Control Tests based on data generated in VA and PA.<br /> <br><br /> <br><br /> <br>Our focus for 2002 will include continued collaborative evaluation, proposal development, and work on funded research grants. Exchange of materials for evaluation of resistance to gray leaf spot, anthracnose stalk rot, and European corn borer will involve numerous states and Canada. Information sharing will be done primarily at our February 2003 meeting in Ottawa, with more informal interactions throughout the year as joint projects are carried out.

Publications

Impact Statements

Back to top