In this week’s crop report, you’ll see some references to corn that’s tipping back or experiencing premature denting. Yesterday, a Wallaces Farmer article highlighted the topic. Brian Lang, Iowa State University Extension area agronomist at Decorah said, “Corn is showing some ‘tipping back’ of the kernels at the ends of the ears, which is normal.” If there is no ‘tipping back,’ that usually means that excessive seeding rate would have resulted in higher yield.

Lang went on to explain, once the ears reach the R2 (blister) stage, if the plant is stressed and starts to ‘become less optimistic,’ kernel abortion will occur from tipping back. Kernel abortion will continue to the end of R3 (milk) stage if stress is present. Once the plants are into the R4 (dough) stage, the only adjustment the plant can make is to the kernel size. Early denting would be an indicator that the plants are continuing to be ‘less optimistic’ and are adjusting kernel size down, which will result in lighter kernels at harvest.

Click here for the full article.

Northeast Iowa

Nick Benson reports the corn is maturing nicely although there is some tipping back from excessive moisture.  Some early silage harvest is underway. He’s seeing some ear worm and army worm pressure, but Latham® Hi‑Tech Hybrids LH 5777 SS ears look perfect! Beans are in the R5 to R6 stage with very little spraying being done for aphids. Latham Hi‑Tech Soybeans L 2440 R2 look awesome.  There are a lot of four-bean pods plus the pods are higher on the plant this year, which will help in harvest. Northwest Iowa looks to have very good bean crop to harvest.

East Central Iowa

Brad Beatty reports many eastern Iowa corn fields showing signs of tipping back, so many farmers are asking me why it’s so prevalent this year. He said we usually want one-half to 1 inch of tip back, which indicates we’re pushing the population to its limit.  If we have no tip back, we probably should have pushed the population. Under very wet and cloudy conditions, the corn plant doesn’t function efficiently.  It’s not producing enough sugar to fill the whole ear, so the tip becomes expendable.

Tipping back is caused by embryonic kernel abortion due to poor or unfavorable conditions. Kernels will shrink with the embryo visible (yellowish in color). Kernels are susceptible to abortion during the blister and milk stage with the tip being most sensitive.  Stresses that affect kernel development early in the grain fill period can be: excessive heat, drought, nitrogen loss, high disease infestations, cloudy weather, excessive seeding rate, wet conditions, compaction, cool temps, etc. These stresses can also lead to early denting indicating that the plants are continuing to be less optimistic and are “down sizing” the kernel size; which can result in lighter test weight. Stresses this year are heat, nitrogen loss, high disease pressure, cloudy weather, wet conditions, and compaction.  Growers need to scout their fields before getting surprised when harvest hits. The bad news is there is nothing we can do at this stage of growth to change this scenario.

Central Iowa

Kevin Meyer says his area lucked out and missed heavy rains and winds this past week. Corn continues to progress with most kernels dented at this time.  Preliminary yield estimates are being made with much of this crop looking good considering the weather challenges during the last couple of months.  SDS is the major concern for soybeans. Aphid counts stayed below economic thresholds, so very little treatment was actually applied.  Great weather is being forecast for plot days.

Many eastern Iowa corn fields are showing tip back, so many farmers are asking me why it’s so prevalent this year.  We usually want one-half to 1 inch of tip back, which indicates we’re pushing the population to its limit.  If we have no tip back, we probably should have pushed the population. Under very wet and cloudy conditions, the corn plant doesn’t function efficiently.  It’s not producing enough sugar to fill the whole ear, so the tip becomes expendable.

Tipping back is caused by embryonic kernel abortion due to poor or unfavorable conditions. Kernels will shrink with the embryo visible (yellowish in color). Kernels are susceptible to abortion during the blister and milk stage with the tip being most sensitive.  Stresses that affect kernel development early in the grain fill period can be: excessive heat, drought, nitrogen loss, high disease infestations, cloudy weather, too high a populations, wet conditions, compaction, cool temps, etc. These stresses can also lead to early denting indicating that the plants are continuing to be less optimistic and are “down sizing” the kernel size; which can result in lighter test weight. Stresses this year are heat, nitrogen loss, high disease pressure, cloudy weather, wet conditions, and compaction.  Growers need to scout their fields before getting surprised when harvest hits. The bad news is there is nothing we can do at this stage of growth to change this scenario.

North Central Iowa

Sudden Death Syndrome continues to prevail in soybeans across north central Iowa.  Now is the perfect time of year to take crop notes, so in the future, you can plant different varieties in affected fields.  Corn continues on a rapid pace with isolated diseases like Eye Spot, Grey Leaf  Spot and some Gosses Wilt in the western part of this territory.

South Central Iowa

Gentle showers fell early this week across South Central Iowa.  Although conditions have improved immensely this week, several spots are still showing effects of last week’s flood.  Travis Slusher’s area will struggle with harvest due to stalk and grain quality issues from the debris left in flooded areas.  Corn across much of his territory is denting, and beans are filling the pods nicely.  The usual foliar diseases are present without one being more prevalent than the next.  Travis said he still hasn’t seen very many issues with aphids but some growers went ahead and added a residual insecticide with the fungicide when spraying beans.

Wisconsin

Steve Bailie’s area was hit by storms and high winds, which caused some soybeans to lodge. It’s been interesting to see the difference in the standability between soybean varieties; standability issues will be magnified as white mold sets in. There are a few fields suffering from Sudden Death Syndrome and Brown Stem Rot, as well.  At the beginning of last week, you had to be in the fields to detect these diseases but now you can see it from the road. Many dairy farmers are switching their choppers from hay to corn. A few samples last week dried down to 70% moisture after being tested, so corn silage harvest is only about 7-14 days away. Many of the fields I’ve been walking are denting or are at full dent stage in southwest Wisconsin. With tomorrow’s field day at Bailie farms, many growers will get a first-hand look at what Latham can provide to help them hit their yield and personal goals. It’s a very exciting year to be in agriculture!

Minnesota

Farmers in Jason Obermeyer’s area continue to spray for aphids, and there are a lot of bean fields showing SDS and some BSR symptoms. Latham Hi‑Tech Soybeans L 2085 R look fantastic as do L 2440 RR2 and L 2183 RR2. Corn is ahead of schedule, and if the heat remains, we should harvest lots of bushels.

South Dakota

Several rainfalls of one inch or more occurred again in Bill Eichacker’s region this past week.  Temperatures have been warmer than average, pushing the crop development. Over half of the corn is at or beyond the R4 stage, with 10% at the R5 stage. Corn crop development is slightly ahead of South Dakota’s five-year average. Sudden Death Syndrome, white mold and aphids are present in soybeans. Over 80% of the soybeans are at the R5 stage.

Eastern Nebraska

While walking fields this week, Mike Lorenz hasn’t seen a lot of insects, bug damage, or fungus on the soybean crops.  It’s turning out to be a great year for the soybeans despite the wet weather.  Corn is in early black layer, and fertility levels seem to be holding out so far.

Managing SDS

Due to the number of SDS mentions in this week’s report, we wanted to share some SDS management tips shared in one of Monsanto’s recent Agronomic Alerts.

If SDS is present, little can be done this season.  However, management decisions for next year can be made. Fungicides are not an option for SDS control due to the nature and timing of the disease. An integrated management plan for SDS may include the following:

1. Balance the overall disease package. Balancing the disease package in next year’s crop is better than focusing on SDS tolerance, especially since soybean fields from this year will likely not be soybean fields next year.
2. Plant soybeans described as resistant or moderately resistant to soybean cyst nematode (SCN).
3. Delay planting or plant earlier maturing varieties to possibly help soybeans escape infection from SDS.
4. Implement cultural practices that improve drainage in low spots, reduce SCN populations, or remove soil compaction layers may lessen SDS severity.

We also want to share SDS management tips provided in last week’s blog (you’ll need to scroll to the bottom of the article), as well as a helpful Iowa State Extension article that was published recently by Alison Robertson and Daren Mueller, Department of Plant Pathology.

White Mold

There were a few mentions of white mold in this week’s crop report, and a recent Iowa State Extension article states that fields at higher risk of developing white mold are those that had disease in previous years and are in high-yielding sites where the canopy closed early. Also, fields that have had plenty of soil moisture, high humidity and little airflow. Below is a link to an article from Iowa State Extension highlighting white mold management tips – while it may be too late to apply some tips for this year’s crop, there are some general management tips you may want to keep in mind if you’re seeing white mold in your field this year.

http://www.extension.iastate.edu/CropNews/2010/1230yang.htm

Central Iowa

Bob Collins’ area recorded another 5 inches of rain on Monday night with more rain and flooding last night. Outside of flooding, the crops look pretty good although SDS is showing up in some bean fields.

A large storm passed through Bart Peterson’s western area over the weekend.  The storm had strong winds and rain, leaving some corn fields flat near the Schaller area.  Beans are in the R3 to R5 stages and in a plot in North Central Iowa, the 100- to 102-day corn is already denting.

Below are some images that show the incredible rainfall Ames, Iowa, has already received. (Note:  More rain has fallen already this month than normally falls in the entire month.) The second photo is Ames’ Hilton Coliseum on August 11.

East Central Iowa

Sudden Death Syndrome is hitting Brad Beatty’s eastern Iowa territory hard, so below he addresses the top questions he’s getting asked:

1. What is Sudden Death Syndrome?  Sudden Death Syndrome (SDS) of soybeans is caused by a fungus strain known as Fusarium solani.  The name “sudden death” is misleading since the disease may take weeks to fully develop. However, symptoms may not be noticeable until the disease is well advanced and the leaves turn or start to defoliate.
2. What can I do to prevent SDS?  First, identify the disease. Second, in fields where SDS was present a year or two ago (when the field was last in soybeans), make sure that you plant a soybean that has high tolerance to SDS. Third,  SDS likes to hit soybeans that were planted early and /or fuller season varieties because early planting conditions are more favorable for infection. Thus, planting beans later when the soils are warmer and dryer will help. Fourth, where feasible, improve soil drainage in the field and reduce soil compaction to help the field drain excess water. Fifth, varying maturity through a group or varying planting dates can also be an effective way of spreading out growth stages. Sixth, control cyst populations. Research shows that presents of soybean cyst nematode can help spread SDS because of the added stress that they put on the soybean plant. Soybean cysts have been found to carry this fungus, but it hasn’t been proven that they can translocate this fungus into the soybean plant. Although crop rotation has had little effect on this disease, farmers should not plant continuous soybeans. There is no spray that can help SDS.
3. What will my yield loss be? Losses commonly do not exceed 10% to 15%, but it can be as high as 50% in severe situations.
4. What are the symptoms? SDS symptoms begin as small yellow spots on the upper most leaves of a plant. These may get overlooked or may be easily misdiagnosed. Spots gradually enlarge and develop a brown dead center. They continue to enlarge until all of the interveinal tissues are killed, leaving a green vein pattern on the leaf. The time involved for this symptom to develop is dependent on weather conditions and variety in the field.  

 North Central Iowa

Kevin Meyer reports another great week for crop development in his region.  Corn is well into the grain fill and looks good overall.  He’s keeping a cautious eye on late season diseases and related stalk quality issues. Soybeans are being affected by SDS and White Mold will likely show up in the near future.  Producers need to take note of these fields and make variety selections that will offer some resistance as they rotate soybeans back into these fields.  This week brought light increases in aphid populations but numbers are still below threshold for treatment.

What a difference a week makes!  Last week we didn’t see much disease or insect pressure but this week we’re seeing a lot of Sudden Death Syndrome (SDS) in soybeans.  This soil-borne disease, which originated in the south and has worked its way north, made its presence known over the last seven days in North Central Iowa.  Soybean aphids are also starting to reach threshold numbers in some areas, keep we’re keeping a sharp eye out for them as well.  If the temperature breaks, the population of aphids could rise.

South Central Iowa

The northwestern part of Travis Slusher’s area has seen heavy torrential rains over the last few days, creating flash flooding issues.  On Monday, he witnessed fields in this area where corn had water standing over the ears with only the top couple of feet visible of the plant.  This will surely cause stalk and grain quality issues in these areas come harvest.  The northern part of this territory is showing heavy SDS in soybeans.  As you move further south, SDS becomes less prevalent but it is still showing up in small areas throughout this region.  Most of the corn in South Central Iowa is beginning to dent with the soybeans beginning to fill the pods.

Northeast Iowa

The big news in Nick Benson’s territory is how well soybeans are doing.  His area has received plenty of moisture for pod fill, and barring a large onset of White Mold and SDS, we should be looking at some nice bean yields.  Aphid numbers are now starting to reach thresholds in some fields, but in general, he doesn’t think many fields will be sprayed this year in his area.  Corn is looking exceptional in fields that have good drainage and an ample amount of Nitrogen.  Where that isn’t the case, premature senescence is occurring.  Nick has looked at some good fields of Latham® Hi‑Tech Hybrids 5425 VT3 where ears are already busting out of the husk.  In a field of LH 5777 SS, he saw perfect worm-free ears, which should add to the overall yield.  The next big move in this area is the silage harvest; farmers are only a few weeks out on that as this corn is maturing at a very rapid pace.

Wisconsin

Steve Bailie reports the crops are looking good in his area. In the southwestern part of the state, many soybeans are at R4-R5 stage. Many of Latham Hi‑Tech Soybeans with the Genuity® Roundup Ready® 2 Yield trait have a number of 4 bean pods again this year.  Insect pressure has backed off, and many growers are hoping to get away without spraying.  Fungicide applications on beans are coming to an end.  White Mold is starting to show up in bottom ground.  Unfortunately, the southwest received rains Sunday afternoon and early Monday morning that caused many of the beans fields to lodge.

South Dakota

The sun is finally shinning in South Dakota!  The crops are fairing well despite the recent weather patterns. Farmers are still scouting for aphids but have seen very few.  The next problem will be battling the wet fields when it is time to cut silage.  In South Dakota, corn has passed through the R2 stage and soybeans are in R4.

Central Nebraska

Steve Edwards says his area is still headed for a bumper corn crop. The recent high heat followed completion of pollination, so it should have little or no effect on yield.  Good soil moisture, GDUs and the crop response to superior growing conditions have been excellent.  There was some slight hail damage in western north central Nebraska, but it wasn’t significant and most of the damaged fields will have average yields. Soybeans are headed for a slightly above average yield. It remains to be seen if the string of days with extremely high heat will shed blooms and depress yield, but he doubts it because he hasn’t seen signs of stress on the crop. The only down side to this year has been the excessive moisture for the soybeans in east central Nebraska, the effects of which will haunt low lying or poorly drained soils throughout the year. All things considered, it will still be at least an average yield, if not slightly up from last year.

Minnesota

Jason Obermeyer reports corn is looking great but soybeans are showing some signs of Brown Stem Rot (BSR) and Sudden Death Syndrome (SDS). Plot days are being inked in for the last days of August and September, so we hope to see good crowds in the coming weeks.

 

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.

Wallaces Farmer recently reported that a week of drier weather following the July 4 holiday was welcome across the state of Iowa after an abnormally wet June. Farmers were finally able to apply herbicides in soybean fields and harvest their second cutting of alfalfa. Some farmers were even able to replant areas of fields affected by flooding.

The information shared came from The Iowa Crops and Weather Report released July 12 by the Iowa Office of USDA’s National Ag Statistics Service providing the latest update on Iowa’s 2010 corn and soybean crops. The report stated in areas not affected by flooding, the corn looks good, but despite the week of drier weather and sunshine, crop conditions still vary greatly from field to field. Excess moisture and possible nitrogen deficiency have been attributed to the inconsistent growth.

Watch for symptoms of corn leaf diseases

Mark Licht, field specialist with ISU Extension says corn diseases are starting to show up. He’s seen some eyespot and grey leaf spot, and also heard of Goss’s wilt showing up in some fields.

Licht recommends considering the following points when making a decision regarding fungicide applications (click here for Monday’s post on foliar fungicide application).

1. How susceptible/tolerant to disease is the hybrid?
2. Are weather conditions conducive for disease pathogens?
3. What past field management has occurred; i.e. tillage, crop rotation?
4. Are foliar disease symptoms present in the lower canopy?
5. Do you expect enough yield response to pay for the application costs?

What about soybean diseases? Licht says soybean diseases are currently limited to Septoria brown spot in the lower canopy and bacterial blight in the upper canopy of soybean plants. “Fungicide applications on soybeans should not be applied until R3 (beginning pod set) for best results,” Lict advises.

Click here for the full article.

Enter Latham’s Tall Corn Contest to Win!

Also, congratulations to last week’s Tall Corn Contest winner, Chelsea Ewen! Thanks so much to everyone who participated.

Enter this week’s Tall Corn Contest by guessing the height of the corn in Uncle Jim’s corn in the above photo. Simply visit www.facebook.com/LathamSeeds and enter your guess in the comments below the photo! For a list of contest rules, click here.

Minnesota

It’s been a week of severe weather across southern Minnesota. Jason Obermeyer says he has never before seen hail damage so severe, saying in areas you cannot identify what crop was even planted unless you dug up the ground and identified it by root mass.

Last Thursday, the state was hit by several tornadoes.  While the property damage was severe, it was nonetheless miraculous that more people were not injured or killed as storms pounded the area. Video of the June 17 tornado is below, as well as photos of the damage from last week’s storm.

[youtube]http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=_406pHbSFYE[/youtube]

Albert Lea Tribune June 17 Tornado Photos

Severe Weather Photos

While impressive/depressing as the crop damage is, Jason says it pales in comparison to the American spirit.  The Minnesotans and Iowans who were affected by last week’s storm system picked themselves up, dusted themselves off and helped those in need. “From the local fire and rescue squads, to the neighbors and friends, to the American Red Cross,” he said, “I tip my hat to all of you and say thanks for being there when we needed you the most.  It’s times like these that I say thanks to God for being an American.”

The daily rainfall is making for some challenging spraying conditions reports, adds Jason.  Many fields need to be sprayed.  Pre-emerge herbicides or early post residual tank mixes are showing their value this year since farmers haven’t been able to get in field when they’ve wanted.

When he is asked the question, “What do you do?” he replies, “If you can live with ruts, then go for it. Sometimes it’s better to lose a finger and save the hang then wait for ideal conditions for spraying.” With each day of severe weed competition, we’re losing yield.  As drastic as it may seem, the idea of a clean field will put minds at ease for the time being.

Wisconsin

Steve Bailie says they could use some sunshine in his territory.  The corn is belly button to chest high and is canopied.  Latham Hi‑Tech Hybrids (LH) 5266 3000GT and LH 5777 SS are looking phenomenal in his plots. Nodules are appearing on the roots of soybeans. In the southwest part of state, the 15-inch rows are very close to canopied and the 30-inch rows are about a week away from canopied. In the northeast, crops are just a little bit behind due to later planting dates.  Farmers are struggling to get the second alfalfa crop out of the field due to all of the wet weather.

Northeast Iowa

Nick Benson reports the corn and beans look good, but if the rain continues, they will start losing yield due to too much moisture. LH 4777 VT3 looks awesome throughout his territory. Weed control and side dressing nitrogen are big concerns due to all the rain.

Central Iowa

Kevin Meyer reports hail and strong winds throughout his territory this past week.  Herbicide applications and nitrogen losses are at the main topics of discussion because too much rainfall is going to prohibit farmers from getting it all done.  Kevin said fungicide applications should be considered on some acres by varieties due to the amount of moisture in the ground.  Although the corn looks pretty good overall, stress is beginning to take a toll on this year’s crop.  Soybeans are much the same.  Weather stress and early signs of disease should be on every producer’s mind.  As these fields dry out, keep a close eye on the crops and be very proactive about any problems that are surely going to develop.

Bob Collins’ territory in central Iowa has missed the last couple of rains.  The corn is looking great with some yellow spots in the low wet areas due to all the rain.  Some bean fields need spraying, but due to the weather, it’s been hard to get in the field between rain storms. He says the farmers in his territory might be able to get back spraying by the end of the week.

Central Nebraska

Steve Edwards reports fields in his territory are water logged due to all of the rain and poor soil drainage. Some corn is chest high and about 5% of beans have canopied. The moisture from excessive rain is giving farmers a hard time with weed control.

Eastern Nebraska

Mike Lorenz says eastern Nebraska has received rain every day again this week, so fieldwork remains at a standstill. Conditions are worsening because farmers can’t get in the fields to spray or replant.  The crop insurance deadline for planting soybeans was June 10 with a 25-day window, giving them until July 5 to replant any needed acres.

Farmers need to clearly understand options available from the U.S. Department of Agriculture’s Farm Service Agency (USDA FSA) and under their crop insurance policies before making replant decisions.  For more information on assessing one’s options, check out this June 21 CropWatch report from University of Nebraska – Lincoln (UNL) Extension service:

Mike says it’s been an interesting year.  Roads and bridges remain closed, especially by the Elkhorn River that is taking in water from the widespread flooding.  With these conditions, it’s difficult to reach fields to check for damage.  Although the lower grounds are flooded and will have very poor crops, the hill crops are looking very good because the sandy hills have had exceptional moisture thus far.

East Central Iowa

Brad Beatty reports crop growth is at least two weeks ahead of schedule:  corn in his area is already 6 feet tall and soybeans are already knee-high.  Most corn is too tall to spray for the second time, leaving spraying with drops as the only option.  There are also a lot of soybean fields in dyer need of spraying.  Much of East Central Iowa has received as much as 10 inches of rain in the last week and Brad has heard of wind speeds as high as 70mph from last Friday’s storms.  Fortunately, corn that lodged from the past storms is recovering well.  Most lodging was due to saturated soils and shallow root systems, but this may have been a blessing in disguise because, as brittle as the corn is, it could have green snapped.  Dry weather is needed badly!  Some farmers have second crop hay to make and others are still working on the first crop.

South Central Iowa

Over a 24-hour period this week, Travis Slusher’s farm near Adel received two inches of rain.  The storm that blew through Tuesday morning brought some pea-size hail but not enough to do any significant damage in his immediate area.  However, last Friday’s storm and high winds created some isolated areas of significant greensnap in the corn.  Corn and beans in the low areas are now a complete loss as they’ve had too much water on them for too long.  There hasn’t been any progress with haying due to the stalled weather system.  Hopefully, this will change later this week and some much needed dry weather will return.

Northwest Iowa

Northwest Iowa remains the Garden Spot as Bruce Anderson reports that crops in his area continue to flourish.  Corn rows are mostly filled and beans are shooting up to new heights.  His region has received rain but nothing the tiles can’t handle, so there is no standing water.

Central Iowa

Bart Peterson reports the Humboldt area received 2.4 inches of rain during the storm last Thursday and Friday.  Another round of severe thunderstorms hits the area last night.  Corn is growing quickly and is at the V10 to V12 stage.  Beans are beginning to flower.  Webster and Humboldt Counties have certain areas that have moderately saturated soils, causing some Fusarium and Rhizoctonia root rot but nothing to the point that they are going to see much yield loss.

High moisture has farmers frustrated all across the Corn Belt and beyond, and a recent Crop Happenings report from Iowa State University Extension, prepared by John Holmes, Extension Field Agronomist, highlighted the ample rain’s effects on farmers and their fields.

Recent rains have saturated farm fields, and the ponds are full again. It’s common to see water standing between rows. Dealers and farmers are frustrated that they aren’t able to spray postemergence herbicides. In yesterday’s Crop Report, we reported farmers in eastern Nebraska haven’t been able to get into the field for 12-15 days. To the left is another photo taken in east central Iowa of a field turned pond. Farmers who still need to sidedress nitrogen are concerned they may need to dribble N between the rows or use a high clearance sidedress applicator now. We’ve also seen talk of aerial planting on New Ag Talk (link) from frustrated farmers who have multiple acres of soybeans left to plant. Both corn and soybeans are growing rapidly, and with the exception of the flooded areas and the ponded areas the crops generally look good.

Sidedressing nitrogen

At this stage, corn is getting close to being too big to use a traditional sidedress applicator, the article stated. Available options recommended included dribbling 28% to 32% UAN between the rows. Since UAN is banded on the soil surface, the potential for loss is considerably less than if broadcast. The other option is to use a high clearance sidedress applicator. Holmes said the only one he knows of right now is made by Hagie Manufacturing Co. The applicator uses a coulter and a high pressure stream to apply the N below the soil surface.

What to look for

Soybean disease: Watch for bacterial blight in soybeans right now, the article warned (see left-hand image courtesy of ISU). First symptoms will be water-soaked or light brown lesions surrounded by yellow halos. The youngest leaves are most susceptible. Also watch for Septoria brown spot on lower leaves (see below image courtesy of ISU). Small dark brown spots will appear on unifoliolate leaves and lower trifoliolate leaves. This disease is favored by warm, wet weather.

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