Biofuels and Corn in the Midwest

Across the Midwest, many growers have switched to corn-on-corn rotations in order to keep up with the booming demand for ethanol.  Because planting continuous corn can promote greater weed control problems, adhering to a weed resistance management plan becomes essential.

According to Ohio State University Extension Weed Specialist Mark Loux in an April 7 article in the High Plains Journal, the use of tillage or pre-plant burndown herbicides can ensure corn is planted in a weed-free seedbed.  Additionally, Loux encourages diversity of herbicide modes of action, and to use other herbicides in conjunction with glyphosate in order to reduce the chance of resistance.  To read the rest of the recommendations, visit this link.

Another consideration in planting continuous corn is choosing what corn hybrids to plant.  Growers have the option of planting conventional hybrids, LibertyLink^® hybrids and stacked-trait hybrids, and Loux says that the best option in continuous corn is to rotate these types of corn from year to year. This will allow growers to rotate herbicides each year, breaking the cycle of continuous glyphosate use and reducing the risk of resistance to glyphosate and other herbicides.

The rising need for corn for the biofuels industry represents new opportunities for U.S. growers. The U.S. ethanol industry produced 4.9 billion gallons of ethanol from 1.8 billion bushels of corn in 2006, or about 17 percent of the U.S. corn crop¹.  Higher corn prices and an increased demand for biofuels will only encourage a greater number of acres planted to corn in 2007, but steps must be taken to ensure problems do not arise down the road. Are you planting more corn this year? Do you think that the increase in continuous corn will pose a threat to weed control and herbicide resistance? Why or why not?

1.  Renewable Fuels Association, “Ethanol Industry Outlook 2007,” www.ethanolrfa.org & the National Corn Growers Association, www.ncga.org.