Farms that stood in the path of the derecho which roared across Iowa last summer are bracing for an unprecedented amount of volunteer corn this spring.

“It’s really important for the growers to anticipate having volunteer corn because it is one of the most competitive weeds that we have out there,” said Bob Hartzler, professor in agronomy and Iowa State University Extension weed specialist. “We have some volunteer corn most years, but usually not a high enough density to impact yields. This year, because of the derecho, some fields could see their yields decimated if the farmer is not proactive.”

As temperatures warm this spring, the potential for seed germination remains high in fields where the derecho...