LOVELOCK - If anyone has taken a drive around the Lovelock Valley recently, you may have seen a crop other than alfalfa being grown. Due to the proposed milk plant being built in Fallon and the need for more dairy feed such as corn and corn silage, some local farmers are trying their hand at producing corn as a rotational crop with their alfalfa hay.
I am currently working with Nevada Nile Ranch evaluating how the relative maturity of different varieties of corn will affect yields and moisture content at harvest. Corn hybrids are categorized by number of days to relative maturity (RM). RM is the number of days a hybrid takes to reach physiological maturity or "black layer" after emergence. Seeds that are physiologically mature have grain moisture contents greater than 30 percent and must dry down (less than 15 percent moisture) on the ear before grain can be harvested.
Due to the fact that Lovelock does not have any grain drying facilities, the corn produced here will need to dry on the ear, or in the field, prior to harvest. So, local farmers may be required to grow corn with a shorter number of relative maturity days in order to achieve this. The problem with using a shorter maturity corn hybrid is that they usually have lower yields than a full season variety.
Therefore, the purpose of the research test plots will be to determine which number of relative maturity days is best suited for our area. In other words, which variety will have the most desirable dry down in the field, but still produce a high yielding crop.
So far the progress of the corn test plots is doing well. The corn is currently in the V-4 to V-6 growth stage. This basically means that the corn plant has 4-6 fully developed leaves and is approximately 24"- 30" high. Typical corn plants develop 20 to 21 total leaves, silk about 65 days after emergence, and mature around 125 days after emergence. The specific time interval, however, can vary among hybrids, environments, planting date and location. The length of time between each growth stage, therefore, is dependent upon these circumstances. For example, an early maturing hybrid may produce fewer leaves or progress through the different growth stages at a faster rate than described here. In contrast, a late-maturity hybrid may develop more leaves and progress through each growth stage at a slower pace.
When the corn plant reaches the V-6 state the root system is well distributed in the soil and extends about 18 inches in depth and 24 inches in radius. The third root whorl is elongating. The plant is now absorbing greater amounts of nutrients, so fertilizer applications in amounts adequate to replace soil needs are beneficial at this time. The growing point is finally above the soil surface and rapid stem elongation begins. Some tillers (suckers) may have initiated. Sucker development varies with hybrid, plant density, fertility and other environmental conditions. Nitrogen fertilizer can now be side-dressed up to V8 if placed in moist soil and excess root pruning and injury of above-ground plant parts are avoided.
If you are interested in more information about the test plots or corn production feel free to contact me at (775) 225-0632.
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