Wet August puts maize harvest behind
© Tim Scrivener A cold spring and wet August will delay maize harvest this year unless the weather warms up in September.
That’s according to Neil Groom, technical director for maize specialist Grainseed, who says despite the weather most growers should have a bulky crop this year.
He is encouraging growers to wait for full maize maturity before harvesting to ensure quality silage is clamped for winter feeding of livestock or as AD feedstock.
This is because as maize matures the sugars in the plant are converted to starch in the grains which is more stable in the clamp and drives production, he says.
See also: More Maize Watch news
However, he says if bright and sunny conditions occur in September growers could see a rapid acceleration in maize maturity. “If this occurs growers need to look at crops at least twice a week,” he adds.
“Don’t allow residues to be buried in the back of the clamp when the new season maize comes in, reclamp it. This will allow the new maize to be sealed for six to eight weeks before feeding so that full fermentation occurs”
Neil Groom, Grainseeds
Mr Groom also suggests growers with carryover from 2014 harvest reclamp the residue so it can continue to be fed.
“Don’t allow residues to be buried in the back of the clamp when the new season maize comes in, reclamp it. This will allow the new maize to be sealed for six to eight weeks before feeding so that full fermentation occurs.”
At the Farmers Weekly/Grainseed trial sites maturity levels are varied.In the early drilled crops on good sites in East Anglia and along the South Coast maturity is at the cheesy ripe grain stage making crops two to three weeks away from harvest.
But on more challenging sites with fewer heat units, the cobs have swollen grains and the very start of starch lay down with a hint of yellowing in the grains. Mr Groom suggests these crops are probably five to six weeks away from harvest
Keep up to date with maize harvest progress from September in print and online with Farmers Weekly’s Maize Watch series, in association with Grainseed.