Nebraska is starting to see early evidence of stalk and ear rot diseases. As harvest approaches, growers should watch for early symptoms and consider monitoring high risk fields.

It is already the third week of October and most of the corn is still standing in the field. Some of the earlier-planted fields are being harvested, but at relatively high moisture levels. This is causing some concern among producers as to the potential for ear rot and mycotoxin problems. In fact, we've already received several samples of moldy ears from some fields, but so far the problem does not seem to be widespread, with only a few fields affected and not every ear rot is associated with vomitoxin or other mycotoxin contamination of the grain.

As the 2014 corn crop heads down the “home stretch” toward physiological maturity and harvest, here are a few items you may want to add to your “honey do” list.