Tom J Bechman
LEAF SAMPLE AT V5: Betsy Bower demonstrates how to pull a tissue sample from five-leaf corn. It takes about 25 leaves at this stage for a sample.
Corn Watch: Examples from Corn Watch ’20 illustrate potential value of tissue testing early.
If you push for super-high corn yields, you may be tissue-testing already. If not, it’s another tool to consider.
“We believe there is value in seeing if plants are taking up nutrients as we think they are,” explains Betsy Bower, an agronomist with Ceres Solutions, based in west-central Indiana. “If you’re just starting out, we suggest sampling in corn at least three times: at V5 or the five-leaf stage, around V12 and at the R1 pollination stage.”