With an anticipated surge of continuous corn acres in 2007, many no-tillers are anticipating more problems with weeds, insects and diseases. There’s also a growing concern about weed resistance problems with increased use of glyphosate-tolerant corn hybrids.

Corn On Corn

Mike Weber told attendees at the recent 15th annual National No-Tillage Conference that it is essential that management of no-till continuous corn include a careful look at crop residue, fertilizer, stand establishment, hybrid selection and control of insects, diseases and weeds.

“Continuous corn will generate a tremendous amount of crop residue and the greatest risk will be with no-till,” says the Bayer CropScience senior technical service representative at Indianola, Iowa. “The yield drag with continuous corn comes from diseases, cooler and wetter soils, interference with planter row units that leads to uneven seeding depth, decreased efficacy of soil-applied herbicides and the depletion of soil moisture.”

Weber sees rootworms being a major threat to continuous corn. Earlier plantings can also lead to concerns with wireworms, cutworms, seed corn maggots and other insects.

Weed Control Strategies

Mike Leetch says Syngenta Crop Protection offers Gramoxone Inteon for faster burndown within 24 to 48 hours. “It is a breakthrough, user-friendly formulation that delivers the fastest weed control and is an important tool to manage weed resistance,” says the technical support agronomist at Adel, Iowa. “It eliminates grasses and broadleaves to speed up soil drying and warming and allows earlier planting under better field conditions.”

Leetch says Syngenta is emphasizing the impact of early-season weed…