Harvest is approaching, perhaps even faster than when we anticipated. Compaction, shallow root systems, leaf diseases, early season wet weather, nutrient leaching, storm injury, prolonged late-season rainfall deficits and other challenges to the corn crop all have affected stalk quality.

Corn plants that were not able take up enough available nitrogen to meet the needs of the filling ear may have cannibalized the nutrient from the lower leaves and stalk.

Translocation of nutrients, such...