 |
ProCrop |
Hail Damage in Row Crops
Corn: The growing point remains below ground 2-3 weeks after the plant emerges (4-leaf). If the growing point is not damaged, corn will recover and perform better than replanted corn. Split the stalk down the center and inspect the growing point. If normal, it will appear white in color and firm in texture. Injured growing points will appear brown or discolored 2-3 days following the hail. Complete loss of leaves early to corn when small usually does not greatly affect grain or silage yields.
Soybean & Dry Bean: The growing points of beans is located in the top of the plant and in leaf axils. Growing points of beans are easily damaged by hail soon after emergence. Regrowth will not occur if hail stones cut the stem off below the cotyledonary node. If the top of the plant is damaged, regrowth can occur from one or more axillary buds. Bean stems may be bruised or broken. The damage may not be severe enough to kill the plant. However, the plant may lodge later as the callus tissue is weak and cannot support the pod weight. Reduction in stands to four plants per linear foot of row can still produce fair yields.
Sunflower: Sunflower may be more tolerant than beans, but the degree of hail tolerance depends on the intensity of the hailstorm and the stage of growth. Sunflower is least tolerant during the seedling and budding stages, and most tolerant after flowering. Hail damage may be direct or indirect. Direct damage results from stand reduction, loss of recoverable heads because of severely bruised or broken stems, and head shatter at later stages. Indirect damage results from defoliation and disease infestation to injured plant tissue.
Research conducted on simulated hail losses in sunflower indicated that a one-to-one relationship does not exist between stand reduction and yield loss. A 50% stand reduction resulted in only a 28% yield reduction. Defoliation of sunflower by hail was reported to be most damaging during the bud stage. Defoliation of 80% at the bud stage resulted in yield reduction of 53%. Whereas 80% defoliation at the 50% mature stage resulted in only a 12% yield loss.
Back to Hail Menu -
Environmental Damage Menu
Back to Environmental Damage Menu
Back to Main ProCrop Index
