Originally published in Purdue Pest Management & Crop Production Newsletter (13 September 1996)

Frost-Mongering Update for Corn
as of September 16th


R.L. (Bob) Nielsen , Agronomy Department , Purdue University, West Lafayette, IN 47907-1150
Internet address: rnielsen@purdue.edu

As of September 16, corn across northern and eastcentral Indiana needs to be fully dented to be reasonably safe from a normally occurring killing fall frost. Southeast Indiana corn needs to be at least in the mid-dent stage (majority of kernels dented). For more information, please review my previous P&C Newsletter articles (p&c9641.htm, p&c9643.htm, or p&c9644.htm).

Table 1. Estimates of youngest safe grain fill stage relative to fall frost risk in Indiana. Estimates valid for crop development as of September 16, 1996 and median fall frost dates.
Indiana Crop Reporting District Median frost date
(50 % probability)
Estimated GDD remaining
from Sep. 16 to fall frost
Approximate youngest
safe grain fill stage
Northwest October 6 252 Fully dented
Northcentral October 6 243 Fully dented
Northeast October 6 244 Fully dented
Westcentral October 13 340 Majority dented
Central October 13 329 Majority dented
Eastcentral October 6 246 Fully dented
Southwest October 20 450 A few dented
Southcentral October 13 365 Majority dented
Southeast October 13 370 Majority dented
Click for a description of corn grain fill stages.

Return to the the Chat 'n Chew Cafe.

The Corn Growers Guidebook , a WWW resource for corn management systems in Indiana and the eastern CornBelt.

Purdue University Agronomy Extension WWW Home Page.

Purdue Agronomy On-Line! , Purdue's Agronomy Department WWW Home Page.


End of Document