With this week’s hot, humid weather, one can also watch the corn grow! The recent warmer weather here has greatly improved overall crop conditions. We’re looking forward to taking Latham® dealers, customers and growers on a tour this Friday of all the exciting products we have in our 2011 lineup. Field tours will be offered about every half hour on July 30 as part of the Latham Country Fair in Alexander, Iowa. Click here for a schedule of events at the Latham Country Fair.
Most of the early-planted corn (April 15 – April 30) is in the milk stage and silks are mostly brown. Some of the later-planted corn is still at the blister stage. Corn that was replanted after the June hailstorm is in the silking stage. Corn fields that were hailed on and not replanted are showing some signs of stalk breakage due to ear development and the fact that bruised stalks aren’t able to support the additional weight. A fairly large number of fields in the area have been recently sprayed with a foliar fungicide.
Soybean fields planted in late April to early May are filling pods. Plants are generally shorter than normal due delayed planting and to the cooler/wet weather we experienced for most of May and June in North Central Iowa. Soybean fields planted in late May and early June are mostly at the pod-set stage where pods are still forming on most of the plant. Replanted fields (due to drown-outs and hail) are anywhere from beginning bloom to full bloom.
Northeast Iowa
Latham® Hi‑Tech Hybrids LH 5426 VT3 Pro looks awesome; Nick Benson says it has very good disease tolerance. Latham® Hi‑Tech Soybeans L 2440 R2 looks beautiful and is the prettiest bean in the countryside. No aphids due to all the rain they received; 12 inches of rainfall was received in two days.
Wisconsin
Steve Bailie reports Green Clover Worms are chewing on bean leaves. Soybeans are in the R3-R4 stage and look great; he is starting to see aphids. The corn is pollinating and the last of the fungicide was apply. He is seeing firing due to lack of nitrogen. They also received 11 inches of rain in the last 3 days.
Central Iowa
It was an extremely warm and wet week in Kevin Meyer’s area. With all the rain, corn looks surprisingly good and is developing rapidly. Fungicide applications are finishing up with corn-on-corn acres being the focus. Soybeans are in the late R1 to R2 stage. A vigilant eye is being kept on the aphids. Overall, all soybeans continue to look pretty good considering some of the stress they have went through. As pods set, take a good look at pod counts and beans per pods.
Minnesota
Jason Obermeyer says the sky is filled with helicopters, planes and probably even a hang glider as farmers resorted to aerial applications. Fungicide applications are continuing on corn this week and will most likely continue into next week. With more rain in the forecast, moisture needs are being met in large part.
Northern Missouri
Rick Foster reports soybeans are coming on stronger and stronger every day, but corn is looking pale due to nitrogen leaching out.
Central Nebraska
The crops are looking good and farmers are spraying Headline® to provide better plant health in Steve Edwards’ territory. Corn is completing pollination, and about 85% of soybeans have canopied. He is seeing some nitrogen problems, but no bugs yet.
North Central Iowa
Tom Larson says there is very little aphid activity throughout his territory. Continue to scout those fields and ready to spray if numbers reach threshold. Tom has received many calls regarding plant health applications on corn hybrids. Unfortunately, there is not a “one-size-fits-all” answer. Some of the “racehorse” hybrids could benefit from such an application, but he says said you really need to know your hybrid characteristics to get a clearer picture of additional benefits of a plant health application.
East Central Iowa
Many farmers are choosing whether or not they’re going apply fungicides or not because most of the corn in Brad Beatty’s territory is in the perfect growth stage to apply fungicides. With the high humidity, continued wet weather pattern and sticky nights, Brad has seen a lot of Eyespot, Common Rust and Gray Leaf Spot. This could be the year that fungicides payoff big. Insects are starting in soybeans; Brad has seen the highest number of clover worms in more than 20 years. Although clover worms are usually are not a problem, they can do great damage when compiled with Japanese beetles, Asian beetles and low aphid numbers. He has seen damage as large as 20% defoliation. Farmers may want to put fungicides and/or herbicide in the mix while they applying insecticide to get the highest possible yields.
South Central Iowa
The past week has seen better growing conditions, with the exception of the southeast corner, across Travis Slusher’s territory. The Indianola area saw tornado activity over the weekend with some isolated damage. Fortunately, Travis hasn’t seen any major insect or plant disease issues other than some random soybean aphids along the perimeters of fields and the usual leaf disease in the corn. He has seen come lodging in the corn because of shallow root systems due to the wet weather and some high winds form an earlier storm. There are a number of products in the area that have been applying fungicide to the corn and are getting ready to do the same on soybean acres in the next week or so.
Central Iowa
The soybeans in Bart Peterson’s Central Iowa territory are from the R3 to R5 stage and the corn is at the R2 stage. He reports the farmers are scouting for aphids, and a little Sudden Death Syndrome (SDS) has been found in North Central Iowa. Fungicides are being sprayed on the corn and bean fields to help protect the plant health.
Eastern Nebraska
Crops in Eastern Nebraska have improved once again this week, but crops still vary in the growth and reproductive stages. Mike Lorenz has seen few to none aphids out in the fields. However, there have been very little sightings of bean leaf beetles. They are still receiving weekly showers but nothing compared to weeks past.
South Dakota
Mother Nature has kept South Dakota soggy to say the least, with rain showers twice this week. In Bill Eichacker’s western region, a record-breaking 18.5-inch hail stone fell! Soybean condition is behind last year with 66% in the R2 stage compared to 74% in 2009. Twenty-two percent of the soybeans are in the R4 stage. Corn is 47% in the R1 stage with some fields in the R2 stage. Bill says it won’t be long with the corn starting to dough. The growing degree weather has pushed the corn dramatically.