Last fall, Farm Journal editors posted an article, “Unpacking the Disappointment: 5 Reasons Some Iowa Growers Had Ho-Hum Corn Yields.” In some areas of Iowa, agronomist Nicole Stecklein said, Mother Nature delivered a series of agronomic problems that led to an only average corn crop.
While these are certainly five valid reasons for the drop in corn yields, I’ve wondered whether no-till and cover crops could have solved some of these concerns. So, here’s what I came up with on the five points, with the help of retired Ohio State Univ. ag engineer Randall Reeder.
1. Early planting concerns
An early-plant advocate, Stecklein likes to start planting anytime the soil is fit with good weather.
She identified two main culprits in 2025 — soil crusting and the fact that earlier planted corn seemed to bear the brunt of later-season stresses due to disease issues, excessive rain and above-average temperatures.
No-Till View. No-tillers usually avoid early-season crusting concerns, definitely when planting green, as residue helps prevent crusting.
2. High winds were a blow
Severe winds in June led to root lodging, green snap and blown-over stalks. Corn that had already tasseled fared better, thanks to better developed root systems and brace roots.
No-Till View. If there’s no pan created by a tillage pass, no-till roots should go deeper than with “tilled ground.”
3. Heat took a bite out of yields
Stecklein says each night during grain fill that temperatures stay above 70 degrees leads to a 1% yield loss.
No-Till View. No-till cuts down on overnight heat with its cooler soils. Cover crops and residue keep most of the soil covered, which means it can be as much as 25 degrees cooler on a hot, sunny August day.
4. Disease pressures
Many Iowa farmers were not prepared for how aggressive southern rust was going to be.
No-Till View. For air-borne disease such as southern rust that blows in from the South, tillage makes no difference. With soil surface diseases, no-till often gets blamed. Crop rotation and cover crops often cancel that concern.
5. Phantom yield loss
Stecklein says there’s about 2 bushels lost per 1% of moisture. If you harvest at 22% moisture but the crop is at 16% moisture, you’re looking at a loss of 12 bushels per acre.
No-Till View. This one remains the same regardless of what tillage practices are used.
In summary, several of these Mother Nature concerns could likely be avoided with cover crops and no-till.
