Accumulated GDDs Oct. 1-23, 2014
Q: How have early October rains and cooler temperatures affected corn drydown? Is it slower than normal?
View season long GDDs for 20 sites at gdd-etdata |
Oct. 14, 2015
Drydown slows after leaves die due to natural senescence, disease, or frost/freeze. This stops plant respiration, leaving only evaporation to remove moisture from the corn, said Tom Hoegemeyer, UNL professor of practice in agronomy and Nebraska corn breeder. In addition, saturated soils tend to increase "local" relative humidity in the field, especially with still days. Corn can even re-absorb water from rainfall if water gets into husks, although ears on most hybrids turn down at maturity and are less apt to capture rain.It takes an average 25 GDD to dry down corn 1 percentage point. That number can range from 15 to 35 GDD, depending on cloud cover, relative humidity, and wind. Compared to states east of us, Nebraska's lower humidity and high winds are significant advantages when it comes to drydown, Hoegemeyer said, and sunshine, even on cold days, will tend to continue drying corn.
The following data reflects accumulated GDD from Oct. 1 through Oct. 13, 2014. While GDD accumulation for the period is behind normal for most sites, a few sites in southwest and western Nebraska are ahead of normal. With the onset of warmer, drier conditions this weekend State Climatologist Al Dutcher expects to see the difference between current and normal GDDs reduced by 5-10 units in western Nebraska and about 5 units in eastern Nebraska.
"If forecasts are correct, we should accumulate 50-60 additional units across eastern Nebraska through Monday and 60-70 units in western Nebraska," Dutcher said.
Growing Degree Day Summary |
|||||
Crop Ref | Accumulated GDDs | ||||
(10/1-10/13) | (10/1-10/23) | ||||
Actual 2014 | Normal | Actual 2014 | Normal | ||
AINSWORTH | Corn | 107 | 113 | 223 | 175 |
ALLIANCE | Corn | 106 | 110 | 217 | 171 |
ARTHUR | Corn | 105 | 115 | 220 | 179 |
BARTA | Corn | 97 | 113 | 201 | 177 |
BEATRICE | Corn | 112 | 129 | 226 | 204 |
BRULE | Corn | 119 | 117 | 248 | 184 |
BRUNSWICK | Corn | 89 | 111 | 185 | 170 |
CEDAR POINT | Corn | 109 | 118 | 231 | 184 |
CENTRAL CITY | Corn | 120 | 118 | 232 | 185 |
CHAMPION | Corn | 124 | 124 | 253 | 170 |
CLAY CENTER | Corn | 113 | 122 | 221 | 192 |
CONCORD | Corn | 88 | 113 | 187 | 174 |
COZAD | Corn | 124 | 122 | 241 | 192 |
CURTIS | Corn | 117 | 124 | 233 | 195 |
DICKENS | Corn | 113 | 120 | 233 | 189 |
ELGIN | Corn | 102 | 113 | 203 | 175 |
FIRTH | Corn | 117 | 129 | 243 | 204 |
GORDON | Corn | 90 | 112 | 198 | 173 |
GOTHENBURG | Corn | 116 | 122 | 229 | 193 |
GRAND ISLAND | Corn | 109 | 119 | 212 | 187 |
GUDMUNDSEN | Corn | 91 | 115 | 195 | 180 |
HALSEY | Corn | 104 | 115 | 214 | 179 |
HIGGINS RANCH | Corn | 104 | 111 | 216 | 172 |
HOLDREGE | Corn | 116 | 123 | 222 | 195 |
INDIAN CAVE | Corn | 105 | 129 | 224 | 205 |
KEARNEY | Corn | 110 | 121 | 214 | 191 |
LEXINGTON | Corn | 111 | 123 | 220 | 195 |
LINCOLN | Corn | 104 | 129 | 219 | 204 |
MCCOOK | Corn | 127 | 124 | 254 | 195 |
MEAD | Corn | 102 | 125 | 213 | 197 |
MERNA | Corn | 118 | 118 | 233 | 184 |
MERRITT | Corn | 105 | 114 | 223 | 178 |
MINDEN | Corn | 112 | 122 | 217 | 193 |
MITCHELL FARM | Corn | 109 | 114 | 222 | 179 |
MONROE | Corn | 108 | 119 | 218 | 186 |
NEBRASKA CITY | Corn | 102 | 128 | 215 | 203 |
NEWPORT | Corn | 103 | 111 | 212 | 172 |
NORTH PLATTE | Corn | 119 | 120 | 240 | 189 |
OAKLAND | Corn | 102 | 116 | 215 | 181 |
O'NEILL | Corn | 91 | 114 | 189 | 177 |
ORD | Corn | 109 | 117 | 218 | 182 |
RED CLOUD | Corn | 117 | 123 | 231 | 195 |
SCOTTSBLUFF | Corn | 118 | 111 | 237 | 173 |
SHELTON | Corn | 111 | 122 | 215 | 192 |
SIDNEY | Corn | 101 | 114 | 208 | 178 |
SMITHFIELD | Corn | 113 | 123 | 223 | 194 |
WEST POINT | Corn | 93 | 122 | 195 | 192 |
YORK | Corn | 113 | 124 | 225 | 196 |
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