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Effect of standing water and saturated soils on corn growth
Stacy Campbell
Stacy Campbell
Stacy Campbell
Published: May 25, 2019, 8:00 PM

If corn has been planted, standing water or saturated soil conditions in areas of a field can produce impacts now or later for corn. Periods of early-season water saturation can cause immediate problems for small corn plants, and can have season-long implications as well. Hopefully, the affected areas are small and confined to spots that are low-lying or poorly drained.


Saturated soils after corn emergence

After corn emerges, saturated soils inhibit root growth, leaf area expansion, and photosynthesis because of the lack of oxygen and cooler soil temperatures. Yellow leaves indicate a slowing of photosynthesis and plant growth. Leaves and sheaths may turn purple from accumulation of sugars if photosynthesis continues but growth is slowed. Corn plants can recover with minimal impact on yield if the plants stay alive and conditions return to normal fairly quickly.

Although root growth can compensate to some extent later in the season, a saturated profile early in the season can confine the root system to the top several inches of soil, setting up problems later in the season if the root system remains shallow. Corn plants in this situation tend to be prone to late-season root rot if wetness continues throughout the summer, and stalk rots if the plants undergo mid- to late-season drought stress. Plants with shallow root systems also become more susceptible to standability problems during periods of high winds.


Tolerance of young corn plants to full submersion

Young corn plants can tolerate only a few days of full submersion. In some cases, symptoms and stand problems seen late in the season may trace back to flooding when the plants were young. Before V6, when the growing point is at or below the soil surface, corn can survive only 2-4 days of flooding. Chances of plant survival increase dramatically if the growing point was not completely submerged or if it was submerged for less than 48 hours. After 48 hours of soil saturation, soil oxygen is depleted and critical plant functions (photosynthesis, water and nutrient uptake) are impaired.

Thus, young corn plants are more susceptible than corn beyond the V6 stage, when the plants are taller and the growing point is above the surface. Research has demonstrated yield reductions from early-season flooding ranging from 5% to 32% depending on soil nitrogen status and duration of flooding.


Complicating factors

Temperatures can influence the extent of damage from flooding or saturated soils. Cool, cloudy weather limits damage from flooding because growth is slowed and because cool water contains more oxygen than warm water. Luckily, much of the flooded areas in the last couple weeks have stayed relatively cool. Warm temperatures, on the other hand, can increase the chances of long-term damage.

Silt deposition in the whorls of vegetative corn plants can inhibit recovery of flooded corn plants. Enough soil can be deposited in the whorl that emergence of later leaves is inhibited. A heavy layer of silt on leaf surfaces can potentially inhibit photosynthesis or damage the waxy surface layer of the leaf (cuticle), making the leaves subject to drying out. New leaves should not be affected if they can emerge normally. Ironically, what is often best for the silt covered plants is to receive a small shower to help wash off the leaves.

In some instances, the soil in the whorl may contain certain soft-rotting bacteria. These bacteria can cause the top of the plant to rot. The whorl can easily be pulled out of a plant infected with these soft-rotting bacteria. In addition, a rather putrid odor will be present. These plants will not recover.


There can be other issues that occur to such as disease, denitrification, cold weather crown stress, green snap, and root lodging. If you want to read more about those, go to our web site at www.cottonwood.ksu.edu 


Stacy Campbell is an agriculture and natural resources agent for Cotton Extension District. Email him at scampbel@ksu.edu or call the Cotton Extension District Hays office, 785-628-9430.
Pawnee Valley Community Hospital now offers proven PAD treatment
pvch-set-pad
Sayra Santacruz, respiratory therapist, and Dusty Thacker, director of Cardiopulmonary Services at Pawnee Valley Community Hospital, demonstrate supervised exercise therapy for patients with peripheral artery disease.
Published: Apr 3, 2025, 1:50 PM

Anyone who has a diagnosis of peripheral artery disease (PAD) now has access to a “proven, effective treatment” at Pawnee Valley Community Hospital (PVCH), said Dusty Thacker, director of Cardiopulmonary Services.

The treatment is called supervised exercise therapy (SET) and is specifically tailored to PAD, a condition in which blood vessels to the legs and feet become narrowed or blocked. This is due to a build-up of fatty deposits inside the arteries that limits blood flow.

“SET is a structured workout program designed to help people improve their physical health under the guidance of a trained professional,” Thacker said. “Sessions are tailored to the person’s needs and focus on improving strength, endurance and mobility.

“The treatment also helps improve circulation, which can reduce or eliminate pain while walking.”

Exercise sessions typically involve a combination of aerobics, strength training and stretching. This includes walking on a treadmill at a moderate pace, with an incline, until the patient begins to feel mild to moderate leg pain.

The patient then rests until the pain subsides before resuming the exercise during up to 36 sessions with a registered respiratory therapist.

“SET is a key treatment approach that focuses on improving blood flow, reducing leg pain and enhancing overall mobility,” Thacker summarized.

Smoking and diabetes are the strongest risk factors for PAD, Thacker noted. Other factors include being over 75; high blood pressure and/or cholesterol; not enough physical activity; stress; diets high in saturated fats; obesity; chronic kidney disease; and family history.

“A few classic symptoms of PAD are pain, burning or cramping in your legs and feet during an activity that improve with rest,” Thacker said.

Others are leg and foot pain at night or while lying down, as well as coldness or numbness in the legs or feet. Additional possibilities are leg weakness or heaviness, slow-healing sores on feet or legs, discolored skin and leg-hair loss.

The therapist offers education about smoking cessation, a heart-healthy diet, weight management, blood pressure control and increasing physical activity.

“We are pleased that we now offer this important exercise therapy,” Thacker commented. “Many of our patients have benefited from our Cardiac Rehab and Pulmonary Rehab services by gaining control of their symptoms, improving their quality of life and reducing the risk of future hospitalizations.

“SET is a similar service. Patients with PAD now have a treatment that can help them manage symptoms and improve overall vascular health.

“We are excited to expand our cardiopulmonary services and incredibly fortunate to partner with HaysMed and the DeBakey Heart Institute. This collaboration connects our Larned community with any necessary advanced services and direct access to cardiologists. It allows us to offer specialized care close to home, significantly enhancing the quality of care and positively impacting our patients’ health and well-being.”


Pawnee Valley Community Hospital, 923 Carroll in Larned, is a 25-bed facility, offering many services not typically available in a smaller facility. Included are 24/7 emergency care; acute, skilled and specialized nursing; surgery; high-tech imaging and laboratory tests; wound care; rehabilitation; and sleep and diagnostic center. PVCH Family Medicine provides the full range of family-medicine services; physician-assisted weight loss; and women’s health services. The hospital’s number is 620-285-3161; the clinic’s number is 620-804-6007.