The 2021 UW Agronomy Report on Corn Management Systems and Cultural Practices

Photo by Sevie Kenyon

Agronomy is the science of sustainable land management. Agronomists generate, integrate and apply science-based knowledge and principles to crops grown for food, feed, fiber, and fuel that are efficient, environmentally sound, and sustainable for future generations.

The mission of the University of Wisconsin Corn Agronomy program is to answer corn management questions expressed by Wisconsin farmers and industry. Although farmers are the primary clientele, the general public ultimately benefits and pays for this program. Therefore, we consciously evaluate impacts of this program on society and keep the public aware of how we spend their money.

Specific objectives of this program focus on management decision-making regarding crop productivity, quality, and production efficiency including hybrid selection, rotation, tillage systems, and replant and yield loss damage assessments. Emphasis is on impacts of cropping practices on grower profitability, the environment, and natural resource conservation.

Every year, approximately 12,000 plots are planted, maintained and harvested at 14 locations throughout Wisconsin. Research conducted by the University of Wisconsin Corn Agronomy program is published for each production season at http://corn.agronomy.wisc.edu/Research/. The report for 2021 can be downloaded at http://corn.agronomy.wisc.edu/Research/Report/2021.pdf. 

A summary of the weather for the 2021 production season can be found for Arlington at http://corn.agronomy.wisc.edu/Research/Weather/ARL/2021.pdf and for Marshfield at http://corn.agronomy.wisc.edu/Research/Weather/MAR/2021.pdf. 

Results for the 2021 projects include:

1. 2021 WISCONSIN CORN HYBRID PERFORMANCE TRIALS Grain - Silage - Specialty - Organic
2. Corn Hybrid Growth and Development
3. Syngenta Private Silage Trials
4. Plant Density and Hybrid Influence on Corn Grain and Silage Performance
5. Date of Planting and Hybrid Influence on Corn Forage and Corn Grain Yield
6. Plant Density and Row Spacing Effects on Corn Grain and Silage Yield
7. Alfalfa - Corn Response to Rotation
8. Corn - Soybean Response to Tillage and Rotation
9. Corn - Soybean - Wheat Response to Rotation
10. Crop Rotation Response to N-rate
11. Sweet Corn Response to Leaf Area Reduction
12. Tillage Systems in Corn and Soybean Production Systems
13. Multi-factor Management Decisions for Continuous and Rotated Corn

We appreciate the financial support, product support and cooperation from the agri-business and grower groups without which this work would not be possible. We have done our best to see that the experiment design and data collection to date is complete, timely and free from errors. However, if you detect an error in these results, please call it to our attention.

We look forward to new research opportunities during 2022, as well as, completion of some studies underway. Please feel free to suggest ways that we can cooperate in the 2022 growing season.