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lemmyshitpost·Lemmy ShitpostbyThe_v

Silage Corn - 14' (4.3m) tall

For silage corn the entire plant is harvested, chopped up, and packed tightly in a pile and covered with plastic or very large plastic bag. This creates an anaerobic conditions and yeasts/bacteria convert the sugars to alcohol, then acids. This acid preserves the feed for cattle for up to 2 years.

Silage corn is the most common base feed for all dairies and feedlots.

This isn't even the tallest variety out there. There are others that are 3' (1m) taller.

The machine with the spout is a chopper. They are a million dollar gigantic woodchipper. These things are fucking terrifying and you should absolutely stay out the field when they are running. Every so often a deer jumps into them.....shudder.... nightmare fuel.

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lemmyshitpost·Lemmy ShitpostbyThe_v

It's really ugly but it's a sign of a healthy environment for soil microbes.

This here is trichoderma ear rot in an organic field. This 100 day variety was chewed on by an earworm. The damaged kernals allowed trichderma to enter and infect the ear. This ear rot produces many toxins and is a big no for consumption.

The twist - Trichoderma is usually a beneficial organism in the soil. It feeds on other pathogenic fungus/bacteria and is applied extensively for biological control.

Although normally a secondary pathogen, it has mutated to become a primary pathogen in both Italy and Germany in recent years.

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lemmyshitpost·Lemmy ShitpostbyThe_v

The ugly side of corn

This here is a genetically susceptible 113 day variety to fusarium kernal rot. This is a nasty little fungus that produces all sorts of mycotoxins that can give any mammal that consumes it a belly ache or even death. It's easily identifiable by the white streaks in causes in the kernals.

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houseplants·HouseplantsbyThe_v

My little guy I have had for 3 decades now.

Probably the easiest plant to care for once you figure it out.

I water it every month or two. Fertilize it every 2 or 3 years. Redirect the arial roots into the pot when I water.

It gets 3 hours of direct sunlight in the morning.

Every 5 or 6 years I haul it outside in the summer. Then leach the pot with the garden hose to remove the salt buildup. I also hack the plant back to a more manageable size.

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