CROP SCENE INVESTIGATION – 34: What happened to Karl’s corn planter?

by BERNARD TOBIN

With the challenging planting conditions of spring 2011, Pioneer Hi-Bred agronomist Scott Fife knew it would only be a matter of time before he received his first call from a grower asking him for help with some strange happenings in a newly planted field.

Fife’s first call to investigate came in late June from Karl, a Glengarry County farmer, who was trying to understand why his corn field featured an odd pattern – five short rows followed by one taller, knee-high row – that was repeated across the entire field.

Better Farming - November 2011