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Tips to cut down harvest corn loss
By Jerome Lensing
Pioneer Hi-Bred agronomist
Minimizing corn loss at harvest time: Corn left behind when the field is combined represents a loss of return per acre. Combine losses cannot be reduced to zero, but skillful operators can reduce losses to an acceptable level without affecting the rate of combining.
Until corn harvesting losses can be identified and measured, operators have no way of knowing whether their losses are at an acceptable level. The major sources of loss are:
--Preharvest loss: Some crop losses are caused by lodging. Appearing as whole-ear losses, they increase as the season progresses, and they are outside the operator's control at harvest time. Average preharvest losses should be less than 1 percent of total crop yield. This loss can go much higher in adverse crop years or when harvest is delayed.
--Header ear loss: Driving at a ground speed that is too fast or too slow, driving off the row or operating the header too high may result in loss of whole or broken ears. Losses average 3 percent to 4 percent of the total crop yield. With proper machine operation and adjustment, you can hold losses to 1 percent.
--Header kernel loss: Some kernels are shelled out and lost by the header at the gathering snouts, snapping bars and snapping rolls. These losses average about 0.6 percent. With proper adjustment and machine operation and good field conditions, you can hold these kernel losses to about 0.4 percent.
--Combine cylinder loss: Insufficient shelling action causes some kernels to remain on the cob as they pass through the machine. With the correct cylinder or rotor speed and correct concave clearance adjustment, this loss should not exceed 0.3 percent. Correct adjustment results in few or no broken cobs with no kernels attached to them. Shelling action that is too vigorous results in excessive kernel breakage.
--Combine separation loss: Some kernels may pass over the sieves and out of the combine. With correct sieve and wind adjustment, this loss should be held to 0.1 percent of the total crop yield.
Importance of soil testing: Soil testing is not only an important part of managing nutrients in the soil, but also an important part of managing your total farming operation, especially if you utilize livestock manure(s). A soil test provides information that will enable you to make better management decisions towards increasing your whole-farm returns. Soil testing is not an exact science, so following protocol when sampling is critical to provide information that is useful. The sampling process is the weakest link in getting accurate information. Here are some common tips to increase the accuracy of your soil tests.
--The area sampled should be similar enough to be represented by one sample.
--Avoid taking cores from areas that are dissimilar; i.e. old building sites, alkaline areas.
--Sampling depth should be 0 to 6 inches for immobile nutrients (P, K, Zn) and pH.
--One sample should consist of 15 to 20 cores (minimum) take with a soil probe or auger.
--Soil should be mixed and put in a sample bag.
--If not sending samples to the lab the same day, samples should be stored in a cool, dry place.
Editor's note: Crop Talk is brought to you by agronomists serving your community to keep you informed about current growing conditions and crop management issues affecting the crops in your area. Jerome Lensing, Rochester, Minn., is an agronomist with Pioneer Hi-Bred International, Inc.
Date: 10/20/04
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