Corn School: What you need to know about tissue testing

Corn growers often turn to tissue testing to diagnose a problem. When plants in a field are yellowing or pale, grabbing a sample and sending it to the lab can seem an obvious way to confirm a nutrient deficiency. But there's more to the tissue testing story than simply identifying a problem and finding a fix. On this episode of the RealAgriculture Corn School, SGS Canada agronomist Jack Legg shares how growers can actively manage their crop and optimize yield by utilizing tissue testing throughout the growing season. Legg notes that perennial U.S. corn and soybean yield contest winners like Randy Dowdy and David Hula employ tissue testing in an aggressive manner, testing weekly or bi-weekly to actively manage the crop to produce winning yields. In general, however, growers can employ a less vigorous approach to tissue testing and produce a better bottom line for their crop. For starters, Legg recommends sampling and testing the crop at several stages during the growing season. Growers often rely on a pre side-dress nitrogen test (PSNT) to determine the nitrogen needs for the crop as it prepares to accelerate through rapid growth stages and ear fill. #farming #agronomy #corn #planting #nitrogen Find more episodes of the Corn School at: https://www.realagriculture.com/corn-... Website: https://www.realagriculture.com/corn-... Find us on our other social media platforms: Twitter:   / realagriculture   Instagram:   / realagriculture   Facebook:   / realagmedia