Genetics and Genomics Commons^™

Harvest Date Influence On Dry Matter Yield And Moisture Of Corn And Stover, Haibo Huang, Dan B. Faulkner, Larry L. Berger, Steven R. Eckhoff

Department of Animal Science: Faculty Publications

Harvest date greatly affects the biomass yield, moisture, and quality of corn and stover. Traditionally, corn and stover have been harvested at lower moisture levels. However, corn stover and grain can be more effectively utilized as animal feed and biomass-ethanol feedstock if they are collected before in-field dry down. This study determined dry matter yield, moisture content, and quality of corn and stover before, during, and after grain maturity in central Illinois. The two-year average kernel moisture was 37.4% (w.b.) when reaching physiological maturity. At the same time, the average stover moisture was 67.7% (w.b.). The dry matter yield of …