For the third consecutive year, many areas in the southern and western Midwest experienced extreme drought conditions.

Corn often suffers drought-induced yield loss. Its evapotranspiration water requirement can exceed one-third of an inch per day. Pollination generally occurs during the hottest, driest time period. Since corn has a single fruiting site (the ear), drought conditions during a short pollination period greatly reduce yield. Corn has a relatively non-extensive fibrous root system that extracts moisture most effectively near the soil surface, an area most devoid of moisture during dry weather.

During the past 15 to 20 years, late March/early April has become the preferred corn planting time. Many producers base early planting date decisions upon reaching pollination before hot/dry weather occurs. Early planting dates have generally helped avoid droughty pollination conditions.

In some situations, early planting has increased the severity of midsummer drought stress. When cool/wet conditions exist after corn emergence (much more likely with early planted corn), root growth rate is reduced. Early planting increases the potential for soil compaction that restricts root growth. Reduced early season root growth rates allow insects like wireworms a longer destructive feeding period. Soil-borne diseases also have a longer infection time when roots are growing slowly.

Early season root growth restrictions often induce drought stress later in the season by providing the plant with a poor root system from which to extract water from the soil. If you plant early, use agronomic practices to reduce early season root growth problems. Starter fertilizers, seed treatment (fungicide and insecticide), proper planter adjustment, compaction reduction, etc. all help develop healthy early season root systems.

Drought-stressed corn is commonly cut for silage. Drought-stressed corn silage often contains high nitrate levels that are toxic to dairy or beef cattle. A common misconception is that the ensilage process removes most or all of feed nitrate content. This is not true. Ensiling generally removes 30 to 50 percent of the original nitrate. If you have ensiled drought-stressed corn, please have it tested for nitrates prior to feeding.

Soybeans are less sensitive to drought than is corn. Soybeans have a taproot system that extracts soil moisture relatively well. They have a relatively low evapotranspiration water requirement maximum of about 0.20 inches per day. Soybeans have multiple fruiting sites that are set over a long time period. This reproduction system allows them to compensate for moisture stress, especially if rainfall occurs later in the growing season. Moisture stress can reduce soybean nodule effectiveness and the assimilation of atmospheric nitrogen into the plant/soil system. Therefore, after drought years, I recommend slightly higher nitrogen rates on non-legume rotational crops.

Grain sorghum is considered a drought-tolerant crop. It contains a waxy layer on both leaves and stalks that protects against desiccation. Grain sorghum has a maximum evapotranspiration water requirement of approximately 0.20 inches per day. It has an extensive fibrous root system that is approximately twice as large as the root system of corn. Early season drought-stressed grain sorghum has the ability to produce new tillers/seed heads after rainfall. For these reasons, you can eliminate some drought risk by incorporating grain sorghum into your farming operation.

Most forages are sensitive to moisture stress. Their yield and quality are always reduced by drought. Similar to corn, drought stressed forages can contain high nitrate levels. Please have any questionable hay tested before feeding this winter.

Alfalfa has a deep taproot that extracts moisture from several feet. However, it also has a high moisture requirement with daily transpiration rates approaching corn. At several locations this year, I recommended not cutting drought-stressed alfalfa (especially first-year stands) in mid-August. Do not cut alfalfa hay (even fields that were not cut in August and September) until Nov. 1. Cutting now may adversely affect winter survival.

Consider planting winter wheat after drought stressed corn, especially if double-crop soybeans following wheat are an option. Most drought-stressed corn was cut for silage, harvested early or destroyed early enough to plant winter wheat. Wheat input costs are relatively small compared to other crops. There should be enough nutrients left in the system to maintain optimum wheat growth until spring fertilizer application.

Following drought is an excellent time to plant winter annual forages such as wheat, annual ryegrass, cereal ryegrass, tricicale and clovers. Crop/weed canopy and plant residue soil surface coverage are low following dry weather. This provides better conditions for surface broadcast seeding, especially when winter frost-seeding legumes. Last year, frost-seeding legumes into drought stressed pastures and hayfields worked extremely well.

Do not plan for drought, but plan, manage and modify your cropping systems to reduce its negative inputs to your operation.