CORN DISCOLORATION

Red Dirt Farmer · July 7, 2010

I am starting to harvest my sweet corn. Most have worms so I cut off the ends. I have noticed about 25% of the ears have some discolored (brown) kernels. Even down near the good end. When I cook these ears, the underling cob is also discolored red. Is this caused by the worms or something else?
Ken

mjc · July 7, 2010

Quote:

Originally Posted by Red Dirt Farmer

Is this caused by the worms or something else?
Ken

Probably...the borers, when small will cause lots of damage, at other locations, other than the most evident location when you harvest the ears.

A good trick to help prevent the borers is to add a couple of drops to the silks, where they emerge from the husk, as soon as you spot them. Bt, spray, will also help, but may take a while...

dustdevil · July 7, 2010

Brown kernels are rotten...don't eat 'em. You may have harvested your corn a little late. Next time poke your thumbnail into a couple of kernels...if they squirt a milky fluid, they're ready. Some varieties of corn have a red cob.

yopper · July 8, 2010

Is it posable that your corn has cross polinated with other corn such as field corn? YOPPER

Red Dirt Farmer · July 9, 2010

Thanks for your replies. As far as I know, there isn’t any corn growing within miles.
The brown kernels seem to be related to the corn worm damage but in some cases they are isolated further down the cob. I attempted to thwart the worms with spray Pam, but I think I was too late.
As far as ripeness, the brown kernels have been there from when the corn was still mostly white, it’s yellow and white when ripe.
Has anyone tried Parasitoid wasps to control the corn worms?
Ken

July 7, 2010	#1
Red Dirt Farmer Tomatovillian™ Join Date: May 2010 Location: Oklahoma City, OK Posts: 42	CORN DISCOLORATION I am starting to harvest my sweet corn. Most have worms so I cut off the ends. I have noticed about 25% of the ears have some discolored (brown) kernels. Even down near the good end. When I cook these ears, the underling cob is also discolored red. Is this caused by the worms or something else? Ken

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July 7, 2010	#3
dustdevil Tomatovillian™ Join Date: Jan 2010 Location: WI, USA Zone4 Posts: 1,887	Brown kernels are rotten...don't eat 'em. You may have harvested your corn a little late. Next time poke your thumbnail into a couple of kernels...if they squirt a milky fluid, they're ready. Some varieties of corn have a red cob.

July 8, 2010	#4
yopper Tomatovillian™ Join Date: Feb 2007 Location: U.P. Michigan Posts: 91	Is it posable that your corn has cross polinated with other corn such as field corn? YOPPER

July 9, 2010	#5
Red Dirt Farmer Tomatovillian™ Join Date: May 2010 Location: Oklahoma City, OK Posts: 42	Thanks for your replies. As far as I know, there isn’t any corn growing within miles. The brown kernels seem to be related to the corn worm damage but in some cases they are isolated further down the cob. I attempted to thwart the worms with spray Pam, but I think I was too late. As far as ripeness, the brown kernels have been there from when the corn was still mostly white, it’s yellow and white when ripe. Has anyone tried Parasitoid wasps to control the corn worms? Ken