Apr 10, 2013
When Would U.S. Corn Planting be Considered Officially "Late"?
Author: Michael Cordonnier/Soybean & Corn Advisor, Inc.
Late-planting is a relative term of course, but the general "rule of thumb" is that the U.S. corn crop should be 50% planted by sometime during the first week of May. If not, than the U.S. corn crop would be officially deemed late-planted. Generally, the U.S. corn yields start to decline the later the corn is planted. Below are some threshold dates for corn planting in the central Corn Belt.
- If corn is planted after May 10th to May 12th, then lower yields may occur.
- If corn is planted between May 15th and May 20th, then generally the yield declines 0.5 bushels per day for each day the planting is delayed.
- If corn is planted between May 20th and May 25th, the yield declines 1.0 bushel per day for each day the planting is delayed.
- If corn is planted between May 25th and May 31st, the yield declines 1.5 bushels per day for each day the planting is delayed.
- If corn planting is delayed until June 1st of later, the yield declines 2.0 bushels per day for each day the planting is delayed and the loses accelerate if the planting is delayed further into the month of June.