Protecting yield from summer's wrath | Corn School

A strong-looking corn crop in late June can still lose yield if key stresses aren't managed through the reproductive period. As the crop moves toward tasselling and silking, growers should be paying close attention to nitrogen availability, disease pressure, and environmental conditions that can quickly reduce yield potential. In this episode of RealAgriculture Corn School, host Bernard Tobin catches up with BASF agronomist Ken Currah to discuss how growers can protect a promising corn crop as it enters one of its most critical growth stages. Currah says the 2026 crop has benefited from improved growing conditions following a drawn-out planting season. “I'm really excited about the state of this corn crop,” he says, noting that warmer temperatures and timely rainfall have helped make nitrogen more available as crop demand has accelerated. He adds that growers farming lighter-textured soils should continue monitoring nitrogen availability throughout the season. “If you sense that there's some leaching of nitrogen there and that crop may run short, generally those growers have been rewarded for topping it up.” Disease management also moves to the forefront in early July as tar spot begins to appear in Ontario fields. Currah notes that high humidity and extended periods of leaf wetness can create ideal conditions for disease development, even when fields appear dry. He encourages growers with corn-on-corn acres, fields with a history of disease, or farms in higher-risk regions to book fungicide applications early. The target remains the R1 (green silk) timing, which provides protection against tar spot, northern corn leaf blight, and ear rots, while also helping manage DON risk. Success, he notes, depends on achieving thorough canopy coverage through proper water volume, nozzle selection, travel speed, and a well-calibrated sprayer. Weather will ultimately influence disease development, but Currah cautions against making management decisions based on last year's conditions. “Don't farm last year's weather — manage the crop, not the weather,” he says. Website: https://www.realagriculture.com/ #agriculture #farming #corn #agronomy Find us on our other social media platforms: X/Twitter:   / realagriculture   Instagram:   / realagriculture   Facebook:   / realagmedia