Above ground, a corn crop might look fine. The root system, though, can tell a different story. Brook Mitchell, Mycogen Seeds commercial agronomist for Kansas, looks for the root cause in this V8/V9 corn.
Due to wet conditions this spring, Mitchell finds hatchet roots. Often caused by sidewall compaction from planting in less-than-idea soil conditions, this root condition can spur stalk integrity issues later in the season. Learn more about root health in this video.
Source: agriculture.com