Growing corn after corn may require more careful and different management than growing corn in rotation with other crops. The continuous cropping of corn presents challenges not found in crop rotations.

Topping the list would be dealing with all of the corn residue left after harvest. That residue is a storehouse of nutrients, but it can also have an allelopathic or growth inhibiting effect on the next corn crop, if not handled properly. Allelopathy is the negative effect one plant has on another, due to the chemical metabolites that it puts into the environment. Often times this occurs as the plant residue begins the decomposition process.

Another obstacle to overcome is planting into a good seedbed with good soil to seed contact despite the large amount of residue that a corn crop generates.

The most important aspect of successfully growing corn after corn is good residue management for the above reason. The best way to overcome these obstacles is to begin the residue decomposition process as soon as possible after harvest, so that by planting time decomposition is well under way, freeing up nutrients from the residue storehouse. This allows planting to take place in a lower residue environment with less allelopathic compounds in the soil. This translates into better soil to seed contact as well as improved early growth.

To speed decomposition, corn fields targeted to grow corn again next year should be harvested early to get a quicker start on residue management. Soon after harvest, a Residuce program should be sprayed on and incorporated. Generally, more aggressive tillage should be done when growing continuous corn. Corn is more responsive to deep tillage than many crops, such as soybeans. Most people see the best results when using disc chisels, disc rippers or even moldboard plows when use properly. Be sure lime and fertility issues are addressed prior to the next crop.

Generally, it pays to front load more nutrients for corn after corn particularly nitrogen. You should have at least half of your total nitrogen applied by the time the planter rolls through the field. More and more people are finding a benefit to applying 10-50 lbs. per acre of nitrogen in the fall as part of a residue management plan. The thought is that it will be utilized in humus formation and not subject to leaching over the winter. This is not additional nitrogen use, but merely a change in timing of application. Fall applied nitrogen would be deducted from spring applications.

It is also important to use row cleaners on the planter units to remove as much residue as possible from the row area. This also helps create a better seed environment allowing better soil to seed contact.

Using starter fertilizer, such as 4-21-4, also helps to overcome cooler soil temperatures associated with higher residue environments and provide early season phosphorus to the young corn plants.

Be sure to pick corn varieties that are more suited for continuous corn. Your seed representative should have this information. With proper management, continuous corn should yield favorably compared to corn in rotation and do a better job of building soils in the process because of the greater amount or residue produced. Many people are finding continuous corn to be a profitable cropping system when good residue management is used.