Hail Damage - Grain Quality Survey

Abstract

There were two major hail events this summer during grain fill that resulted in significant corn crop damage in the path of the storm. The damage occurred over several thousand acres with some fields being a total loss and other fields having varying degrees of damage. This resulted in several crop hail damage meetings across the state to help farmers make informed harvest decisions. A common question from farmers and grain merchandisers dealt with grain quality issues. Specifically, what impact will the hail damage have on grain quality, ear rot severity and mycotoxin contamination in my corn crop?