Symptomology of Arrested Ear Development in Corn

Bob Nielsen, Extension Corn Production Specialist, Department of Agronomy, Purdue University

Reports of arrested ear development in cornfields continue to surface around the Midwest this year. Circumstantial evidence in some situations links the symptoms to post-emergence applications of herbicides, fungicides, insecticides, and/or assorted additives. In other situations, no obvious connection can be identified with post-emergence pesticide applications. Definitive diagnoses of the causes of arrested ear development remain to be determined, but it may be useful to compare and contrast the various arrested ear symptoms and what they may tell us in terms of the timing of the damage. Too often, folks identify a cause of a problem before clearly identifying the symptoms.

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