West Central FS (309) 343-1600
(309) 343-1600
myFS Solution Center View My Account Agri-Finance Account
  • About Us
  • Contact Us
  • Careers
(309) 343-1600
myFS Solution Center View My Account Agri-Finance Account
Dynamic Weather Icon for Today's Forecast
Weather N/A
Futures
  • Who We Serve
    • Farmers
    • Homeowners
    • Fleet Owners
    • Turf & Landscape Managers
  • Products & Services
    • Agronomy
      • Crop Protection
      • Crop Nutrients
      • Seed
        • Yield Results
        • Seed Product Catalog
      • Agronomy Team
    • Fuels and Lubricants
      • Fuels
      • Lubricants
      • Other Petroleum Products
    • Propane
      • Residential Propane
      • Agricultural Propane
      • Commercial Propane
      • Autogas
      • Propane Tips
      • Energy Order Form
    • Energy Catalog
    • FS Agri-Finance
    • Technology
      • FS MiField
      • Precision Farming
        • Climate FieldView
        • Precision Planting Equipment
    • Grain Storage & Buildings
    • Turf
      • GreenYard Professional
      • GreenYard Consumer
    • FAST STOP
    • Western Grain Marketing - Cash Bids
    • Resource Center
    • DTN Weather
    • myFS Solution Center
  • Our Locations
    • Find Your Nearest Location
    • Adair
    • Bushnell
    • Carthage
    • Colusa
    • Colmar Seed Warehouse
    • Donnellson, IA
    • Ellisville
    • Galesburg Bulk Plant
    • Galesburg Main Office
    • Gilson Bulk Plant
    • Galesburg South - Seed and Technology Center
    • La Harpe
    • Little York
    • Macomb
    • Monmouth
    • Maquon
    • Ormonde
    • Roseville LP Service Center
    • Rozetta
    • Sciota
    • Stronghurst
    • Wataga
    • West Point
    • Williamsfield
    • Maintenance Shop
  • Sustainability
    • 4R Advocates
    • Pollinator Habitats
    • Enduring Farms
Futures
Dynamic Weather Icon for Today's Forecast
Weather N/A
Futures
Dynamic Weather Icon for Today's Forecast
Weather N/A
  • Who We Serve
    • Farmers
    • Homeowners
    • Fleet Owners
    • Turf & Landscape Managers
  • Products & Services
    • Agronomy
      • Crop Protection
      • Crop Nutrients
      • Seed
        • Yield Results
        • Seed Product Catalog
      • Agronomy Team
    • Fuels and Lubricants
      • Fuels
      • Lubricants
      • Other Petroleum Products
    • Propane
      • Residential Propane
      • Agricultural Propane
      • Commercial Propane
      • Autogas
      • Propane Tips
      • Energy Order Form
    • Energy Catalog
    • FS Agri-Finance
    • Technology
      • FS MiField
      • Precision Farming
        • Climate FieldView
        • Precision Planting Equipment
    • Grain Storage & Buildings
    • Turf
      • GreenYard Professional
      • GreenYard Consumer
    • FAST STOP
    • Western Grain Marketing - Cash Bids
    • Resource Center
    • DTN Weather
    • myFS Solution Center
  • Our Locations
    • Find Your Nearest Location
    • Adair
    • Bushnell
    • Carthage
    • Colusa
    • Colmar Seed Warehouse
    • Donnellson, IA
    • Ellisville
    • Galesburg Bulk Plant
    • Galesburg Main Office
    • Gilson Bulk Plant
    • Galesburg South - Seed and Technology Center
    • La Harpe
    • Little York
    • Macomb
    • Monmouth
    • Maquon
    • Ormonde
    • Roseville LP Service Center
    • Rozetta
    • Sciota
    • Stronghurst
    • Wataga
    • West Point
    • Williamsfield
    • Maintenance Shop
  • Sustainability
    • 4R Advocates
    • Pollinator Habitats
    • Enduring Farms
    • About Us
    • Contact Us
    • Careers
  • myFS Solution Center
  • View My Account
  • Agri-Finance Account

FLOODING EFFECTS ON CORN GROWTH AND DEVELOPMENT

05/22/2020
rainfall corn growth crop management replant
E-mail Share Print
FLOODING EFFECTS ON CORN GROWTH AND DEVELOPMENT
  • Recent heavy rainfall has resulted in areas experiencing flooding or ponding within fields.  
  • Crop injury from flooding or saturated soils occurs more quickly as temperatures rise.  
  • Factors such as temperature and water depth influence the rate and extent of damage from flooding or soil saturation.  
  • When determining how to manage fields that have been flooded, the hardest decision will relate to the till or no-till question.  
  • If the decision is made to replant only ponded or worst parts of fields, be aware that these very late planted areas could become highly prone to insect and plant disease problems.

Recent heavy rainfall has resulted in a few areas experiencing flooding or ponding within fields.  Though all crops may be affected, this article focuses on flooding effects on corn.  The following comments should be regarded as generalizations.  There are many variables that affect how long corn can tolerate flood conditions.

When soil is flooded or saturated, there is a limited amount of time before free oxygen is consumed in the soil.  When there is little or no oxygen left, corn and other crops do not grow well.  Under these conditions, corn roots cannot take up water or nutrients.  If water is standing over the leaf tissue, injury to this tissue occurs rapidly.  If the corn growing point is submerged or below the soil surface in saturated soils, this growing point may be killed within a few days.

Crop injury from flooding or saturated soils occurs more quickly as temperatures rise.  This is simply related to the level of biological activity and resulting depletion of oxygen.  Damage from flooding or soil saturation tends to occur more slowly under cool conditions.  The exception is that, at around 45°F, corn is not growing very fast but pathogens, like Pythium, are still active.  Consequently, cool weather is not always positive when field conditions are wet.  It is also generally true that tender leaf tissue is more quickly injured than either older tissue or seed that has not yet germinated.  A very young corn plant can easily be injured by ponding or flooding, whereas an older plant with toughened leaf and stem tissue might last longer under the same conditions.

A number of experts will tell us that corn seed is pretty tolerant of flooding or soil saturation as long as the seed coat stays intact.  Once the radical or shoot penetrate the seed coat, the developing seedling cannot tolerate more than a few days of excess water.  For the emerged corn plant, growth will stop within a couple days following soil saturation or flooding.  As soils go anaerobic, the corn seedling will begin to decline rapidly.  Under flooded conditions, the corn seedling will be irreversibly damaged within 2 to 3 days.

Several factors influence the rate and extent of damage from flooding or soil saturation.  Temperature is one factor that has already been mentioned.  Corn will tolerate flooding a lot longer under cool, than under warm conditions.  Water depth is another factor.  Although saturated soils are inhospitable for root growth, corn seedlings can tolerate these conditions longer when the leaf tissue is exposed to the air.  If the leaf tissue is under water, plant death can occur in less than 48 hours.  The only way to accurately assess the situation is to revisit the field(s) often, digging and splitting sample plants to observe plant health.

When determining how to manage fields that have been flooded, the hardest decision will relate to the till or no-till question.  Once saturated soils lose oxygen, they can be slow to regain normal aeration.  Tillage can help, but may not be allowed or even practical.  Rushing back to replant a saturated field could result in soil compaction or poor stand establishment.  Weed control is often compromised by the flooding or soil saturation, so available emergency weed control options should be considered.

If the decision is made to replant only ponded or worst parts of fields, be aware that these very late planted areas could become highly prone to insect and plant disease problems.  It may be necessary to create an access path into these areas so that timely weed, insect, or disease control can take place.  Also, these late planted patches may complicate timing of fungicide or post-emergence herbicide applications because of differences in crop maturity.

Related Articles

Your Goals, Your Plan, Your Way
Nov 30, 2020

Over the years, we have seen many of our customers have success using the following tools to put together a winning marketing plan.

Read The Full Story
Corn Ear Malformations: A Briefing on the Possible Causes
Sep 8, 2020

Pinched or “beer bottle” ears are ear malformations attributed to late applications of ALS-inhibiting herbicides, after the V6 growth stage.

Read The Full Story
Grain Handling & Storage
Sep 1, 2020

SLAM is a common acronym to remember the four point of grain storage and handling. And while all four points are important, the length of storage grain will endure, depends on practices during harvest, cleaning and binning.

Read The Full Story

Related Videos

FS InVISION Product Spotlight - FS 5098 and FS 5594
Nov 5, 2019

Exciting new products int he 100 and 105 day maturity range from FS InVISION.

Watch Video
  • News
  • Careers
  • Our Locations
  • Resource Center
  • Contact Us
  • Privacy Policy
  • Terms of Use
  • About Us
  • Site Page Map
  • Who We Serve
    • Farmers
    • Homeowners
    • Fleet Owners
    • Turf & Landscape Managers
  • Products & Services
    • Agronomy
      • Crop Protection
      • Crop Nutrients
      • Seed
        • Yield Results
        • Seed Product Catalog
      • Agronomy Team
    • Fuels and Lubricants
      • Fuels
      • Lubricants
      • Other Petroleum Products
    • Propane
      • Residential Propane
      • Agricultural Propane
      • Commercial Propane
      • Autogas
      • Propane Tips
      • Energy Order Form
    • Energy Catalog
    • FS Agri-Finance
    • Technology
      • FS MiField
      • Precision Farming
        • Climate FieldView
        • Precision Planting Equipment
    • Grain Storage & Buildings
    • Turf
      • GreenYard Professional
      • GreenYard Consumer
    • FAST STOP
    • Western Grain Marketing - Cash Bids
    • Resource Center
    • DTN Weather
    • myFS Solution Center

West Central FS

1445 Monmouth Blvd.

Galesburg, IL 61401

(309) 343-1600

[email protected]

© Copyright 2025 West Central FS, Inc.

Your choice regarding cookies on this site:

We use cookies to optimize site functionality and give you the best possible experience.
Privacy Policy

Your choice regarding cookies on this site:

We use cookies to optimize site functionality and give you the best possible experience.
Privacy Policy