Too early to harvest dry corn for early silage, but do consider nitrate accumulation risks

Abstract

<p>When the weather turns dry and the corn leaves begin to roll from heat and moisture stress, producers sometimes begin to think about "salvaging" the crop as an early silage harvest. Conditions probably don't merit that drastic decision yet. It is not, however, too early to consider elevated levels of nitrate in harvested grass forages. Plants (usually grasses and some broadleaf weeds) will continue to take up soil nitrate during drought and stress periods but not metabolize it into protein and normal plant constituents.</p>