On the morning of September 13, 2014 we received temperatures that were 32°F or less creating frost on windshields, lawns and plants.
Early observations on frost are that the frost was very spotty, affecting low lying fields. Fields that had more foliage that held the heat from the soil in were less affected than fields that had more of an open canopy.
Some frost damage is normally visible the day of the frost, but it can also take 5-7 days for all damage to become visible. Utilizing the observation of more foliage equaling less damage were are seeing fields that have one or more of the following having less frost damage:
- Fertility levels on the higher side
- Sidedressed additional nutrients
- Fungicide applications particularly in soybeans
- Narrow row or Twin Row
- Later Maturing Hybrids/Varieties
As long as we see some living tissue on stalks and stems those plants will be provide nutrients to the unaffected pods on soybean plants and the ear on the corn plant.
We may end up with more harvest issues and losses because of this frost and will have to be more proactive on changing combine settings when conditions warrant it. I can see where we will have more variations in soybean sizes and weights that will make soybean harvest more challenging. On corn, affected plants will have lighter tests weights and increased moisture, as well as an increased potential for dockage due to more kernel damage.
