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WHERE TO LOOK: Even before corn harvest, you can compare drydown traits. Look for angle of the ear to the stalk, number of husk leaves, and whether husk leaves are held tightly or opening up. Tom J. Bechman
Here’s a corn trivia question you can try out at the coffee shop: Which hybrid likely has fewer husks per ear — a hybrid grown by your dad in 1980 or a hybrid you grow today? Answer: Odds favor the modern hybrid as having fewer husks per ear. Fewer husks contribute to better drydown in the field. The ability to dry more quickly in the field is an attribute many corn breeders seek to achieve.
OK, you probably haven’t woken up at night worrying about whether the corn you grow today has more husk leaves than the corn your dad or grandpa grew. And selecting and ordering next year’s hybrids shouldn’t keep you up at night either. But when you are pondering those selections, how quickly each hybrid dries down may be a consideration.