Normally, aflatoxin is associated with drought stress like in 1998. The main difference in 1998's weather and this year's was that May and June were hotter in 1998. Aflatoxin, which results from a fungal disease, was a major problem in 1998 and contributed to growers' decisions to plant significantly fewer corn acres in 1999. This year, growers may harvest 380,000 acres, an increase of 70,000 from last year, but still significantly below the 550,000 acres harvested in 1998. Dennis Reginelli, Noxubee County Extension agent, said this year's crop also had less stress from corn earworms and other insects.
Stressed corn is more susceptible to aflatoxin.
It's interesting to see what this blackland soil can do for you. Warm, dry conditions in late February and early March enabled Noxubee County growers to plant much of their 26,000 acres of corn early. Almost 9 inches of rain in April forced growers to replant low- lying fields. The later plantings did not produced as well. This year's yields are a tribute to the water-holding capacity of this prairie land.