Crop Profile for Corn in Oregon

Transcription

1 Prepared October, 2000 Crop Profile for Corn in Oregon General Production Information Oregon is the fourth-ranking producer of sweet corn for processing in the United States. In 1998, this represented 10.9% of the national total. In 1997, sweet corn growers harvested 41,000 acres of sweet corn for processing, yielding 353,000 tons. These figures dropped sharply, and the 1999 estimates projected 17,419 harvested acres of sweet corn for processing and 3,540 acres for the fresh market. Willamette Valley production costs are $ per acre. Although most Oregon-grown sweet corn is processed, the fresh market accounts for an estimated 17% of total production. Nationally, 51% of the processed sweet corn is frozen and 49% is canned. Production Regions The majority of Oregon's sweet corn is grown in the Willamette Valley. Marion County farmers harvest the most acres with 14,190 in 1997, followed by Benton, Linn, Washington, and Yamhill Counties. Farmers grow approximately 600 acres of sweet corn east of the Cascades in Malheur County. Sweet corn for fresh market and processing uses is Oregon s second most valuable vegetable crop with a value of $42 million (3, 6). Cultural Practices CULTURAL PRACTICES Sweet corn is a warm-weather annual grown primarily in the Willamette Valley where there is abundant moisture. There are some small acreages in Eastern Oregon where irrigation is available. The planted sweet corn seed produces a single stock. Most varieties require 100 to 140 days from seeding to full The Crop Profile/PMSP database, including this document, is supported by USDA NIFA.

2 ripeness. Sweet corn, used mainly for food, is distinguished from other sweet corn by the high sugar content of the kernels (8). Insect Pests A dozen insect or invertebrate pests attack Oregon sweet corn (9). Controlling the insect vectors helps control plant disease. Chemical controls Specialists recommend chemical control of insects by these 24 currently-registered pesticides (9). NASS (National Agricultural Statistics Service) reported insecticide use on 37,400 acres of sweet corn for processing in 1998 (7). Insecticide Brand name Area treated (%) Number of applications Pounds per acre per application Pounds per acres per crop year Total application (by 1,000 lb) chlorpyrifos Lorsban Another summary indicates that 60% of the sweet corn acreage was treated with 33,100 pounds of insecticides in 1998 (2). For detailed information on insecticide application, go to html, page 18 (14). Alternatives Sweet corn growers sometimes use insecticidal soaps (M-Pede) for aphid control (9). Cultural controls Early seeding may help farmers avoid aphid attacks (13).

3 Diseases Disease control options can be viewed at (11). Chemical controls Although most diseases are controlled by cultural practices, some chemicals are available (13). Disease Fungicide rust propiconazole (Tilt) seed rot and seedling blight mefenoxam (Apron XL) seed rot and seedling blight captan seed rot and seedling blight fludioxonil (Maxim) seed rot and seedling blight thiram seed rot and seedling blight carboxin (Vita-Flo 280) seed rot and seedling blight Trichodema harzianum (Bio-Ag 22G) smut (head) triadimefon (Baytan) smut (head) carboxin (Vitavax) Cultural controls Growers employ these cultural controls to limit disease damage (13): Plant resistant cultivars Avoid overhead irrigation (avoid high humidity in canopy) Use well water when possible Harvest early Control insects that are vectors Store seed properly Avoid late seeding, but make sure soil is warm enough Control weeds and grasses that can act as hosts Rotate crops Bury infected plant debris Avoid mechanical injury to plants

4 Provide a well-balanced soil Plant shallowly Use preplant irrigation Keep seedbeds moist Clean machinery Plant upwind from infected fields Do not overfertilize with nitrogen Avoid root pruning Nematodes No information about nematodes in Oregon sweet corn was available. Nationally, nematicide use in sweet corn is minor (12). Other For bird control, farmers can use Mesurol (Mesurol 50% Hopper Box) treated seed to reduce feeding damage on seeds and seedlings (15). Weeds Sweet corn tolerates an aggressive weed control program. Growers rotate sweet corn with less competitive vegetables to minimize weeds in crop rotations. Combinations of cultural practices and herbicides are integrated to reduce wild proso millet, pigweed, nightshade, and yellow nutsedge infestations in vegetable rotations (16). Weed treatment options can be viewed at (10). Chemical controls Since 1998, growers have treated some acreage with nicosulfuron (Accent) to control pigweed and wild proso (16).

5 NASS reported herbicide use on 37,400 acres of sweet corn for processing in 1998 (7). Herbicide Brand name Area treated (%) Number of applications Pounds per acre per application Pounds per acres per crop year alachlor Lasso atrazine AAtrex Total application (by 1,000 lb) bentazon Basagran dimethenamid Frontier EPTC Eptam glyphosate Roundup metolachlor Dual Another summary indicates that sweet corn growers treated 97 % of the sweet corn acreage with 139,100 pounds of herbicides in 1998 (2). Cultural controls Crop rotations, cover crops, tillage, row spacings and densities, field cultivation are standard cultural control practices in some fields. Growers are exploring strip tillage, but weeds emerge from tilled areas and clods and require treatments. A few growers are experimenting with Buffalo-type cultivators (16). Post harvest Sweet corn producers are planting cereal cover crops or rotating with grass seed instead of wheat (16). Jim Gill NORPAC Foods, Inc. 930 W. Washington Stayton, OR Contacts

6 John McCulley Oregon Processed Vegetable Commission P.O. Box 2042 Salem, OR Dan McGrath Marion County Extension 3180 Center St. NE, Room 1361 Salem, OR Bob McReynolds North Willamette Research & Extension Center NE Miley Road Aurora, OR Cindy Ocamb Botany and Plant Pathology Oregon State University Corvallis, OR Craig Smith Northwest Food Processors 6950 SW Hampton St. Suite 340 Portland, OR Ray William Horticulture Oregon State University Corvallis, OR References

7 1. Crop Profile for Commodity in State. (accessed May 2000) Oregon Agriculture & Fisheries Statistics; Oregon Agricultural Statistics Service, U. S. Department of Agriculture: Portland, OR, December Commodity Data Sheet, Sweet Corn for Processing, ; Oregon State University Extension Service, Extension Economic Information Office: Corvallis, OR, April Enterprise Budget, Sweet Corn, Willamette Valley Region; EM 8376; Oregon State University Extension Service: Corvallis, OR, August Oregon County and State Agricultural Estimates; Special Report 790; Oregon State University Extension Service: Corvallis, OR, revised January Oregon Agricultural Statistics Service, Press Release Crop Report, January 28, Agricultural Chemical Usage, 1998 Vegetable Summary, Ag Ch 1(99). National Agricultural Statistics Service, Economic Research Service, United States Department of Agriculture: Washington, D.C., July Markle, G. M.; Baron, J. J.; Schneider, B. A. Food and Feed Crops of the United States, Second Edition; Meister Publishing Co.: Willoughby, OH, Pacific Northwest Insect Control Handbook; Extension Services of Oregon State University, Washington State University, and the University of Idaho: Corvallis, OR, Corn Herbicides, OSU, WSU, & UI Extensions Cooperating. weeds/corn.htm (accessed May 2000). 11. An Online Guide to Plant Disease Control, Oregon State University. index.htm (accessed Sept 2000). 12. Pike, D. R.; Steffey, K. L.; Gray, M. E.; Kirby, H. W.; Edwards, D. I.; Hornbaker, R. H.; Biologic and Economic Assessment of Pesticide Usage on Corn and Soybeans; Report Number 1-CA-95; National Agricultural Pesticide Impact Assessment Program, U.S. Department of Agriculture: Washington, DC, Pacific Northwest Plant Disease Control Handbook; Extension Services of Oregon State University, Washington State University, and the University of Idaho: Corvallis, OR, 2000.

8 14. Sweet Corn for Processing, Oregon State University. html (accessed May 2000). 15. Sweet Corn for Fresh Market, Oregon State University. (accessed May 2000). 16. William, R., Horticulture, Oregon State University, Corvallis, OR. Personal communication, July Acknowledgements This crop profile was prepared by P. Thomson, W. Parrott, and J. Jenkins, Agricultural Chemistry Extension, Department of Environmental and Molecular Toxicology, Oregon State University, and reviewed by R. William, Horticulture, Oregon State University. Database and web development by the NSF Center for Integrated Pest Managment located at North Carolina State University. All materials may be used freely with credit to the USDA.