Agricultural Engineering/Agronomy, Central Iowa, and BioCentury Research Farms

Sorghum Silage as an Alternative to Corn Silage in High Pest Pressure Areas

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Abstract

Tar spot (Phyllachora maydis), a fungal disease in corn, has been positively identified in every county in Iowa. Tar spot could be devastating for corn silage producers, as it is a very aggressive disease, spreading from a minor infection to the whole field within a few weeks. Symptoms can include early dry down, reduced yield, and reduced sugar content with potential impacts on forage quality. Low moisture and sugar can lead to poor fermentation. Managing the disease is important to ensure a good silage crop, leading farmers to preventively spray fungicides before the disease is identified. We evaluated sorghum forage as a corn silage alternative in tar spot-ridden areas, as sorghum does not develop the disease. Evaluation was made by examining the nutritive value, yield, and management (proactively spraying, reactively spraying, or no spraying) between corn silage and sorghum silage.

How to Cite:

Gruss, S. & Harle, C., (2025) “Sorghum Silage as an Alternative to Corn Silage in High Pest Pressure Areas”, Iowa State University Research and Demonstration Farms Progress Reports 2024(1), 29-31.