An unusual phenomenon has been reported by consultants and farmers from across Indiana this fall that is reminiscent of the "Beer Can" episodes in recent years. Rather than the blunted ear symptom of the "beer can" ears, this year's version is somewhat different.
I visited one such field and received reports of similar cob development problems from at least four other fields. Here are some links to photos from a field near Waynetown that I visited in early October to give you an idea of the type of arrested cob development observed in 1998. Another variant of the problem (not illustrated here) is a section of arrested cob development in the middle of the cob with normal cob development on the butt and tip ends of the cob, resulting in a "bar-bell" shape.
Because this ear development phenomenon does not have a readily accepted cause, I would welcome ideas from other 'corny' folks that may shed some insight into this problem. You can contact me at rnielsen@purdue.edu.