Does Tillering Hurt Corn Yields?
This year I’ve seen more tillering in corn than normal, and there have been inquiries about the impact of tillers on crop growth. I got to digging for information on the impact of tillers on corn yield and found the following information from Dr. Peter Thomison, Ohio State University Extension. It helps to explain what tillers are and what they do. When farmers see extensive tillering in their corn hybrids they often express concern that the tillering will have a detrimental effect of crop performance (tillers will “suck” nutrients from the main plant and thereby reduce yields). As a result, tillers are often referred to a “suckers”. However, research has shown that tillers usually have little influence on grain yields and what effects they do have are generally beneficial. Tillers are lateral branches that form at below ground nodes. Although tiller buds form at each below ground node, the number of tillers that develop is determined by plant population and spacing, soil fertility, ea
