(East Lansing, MI) - Michigan farmers raising corn are hoping for an extended growing season because of historically low amounts of corn behind in maturity.
Just 10-percent of corn in the state had reached maturity as of September 21, according to USDA in its most recent crop condition report. That’s far below the state’s five-year average of 34-percent maturity at this point in the season and, currently, last among the top 18 corn producing states tracked by USDA.
In comparison, USDA reported the corn maturity rate was 69-percent in Illinois; 46-percent in Indiana and 32-percent in Ohio. Monica Jean, a Michigan State University Extension Field Crops Educator, was not surprised about the unusually high amount of late maturing corn. “It’s probably about right,” said. Jean said a major factor in the low maturity rate is having a lot of late planted corn because of a very wet and cold spring in many parts, including the southern part of the state.
She said there still could be a decent crop this fall but the key will be a late frost to keep the late planted corn alive for an extended period and enough warm, sunny weather to give the corn time to mature at a time when the number of growing degree days in the season are becoming fewer. “It’s definitely a concern,” she said.
