Crop Report
Central/West-Central Illinois Report (7/9/25)
About 40-45% of the soybean crop seems to be setting up very well for yield. Color, canopy closure, and general appearance look very good in those fields. The “mid-season vibe” for that portion of the crop is good, but “the final story” is yet to be told. Growers are holding their collective breath for late July/ early August rainfall that would set that story in concrete.
Don’t discount the crop that sits just a shade lower in general appearance (about 40%). That portion also is set up well, but the finish line is still very far ahead.
All of that said, there are some fields that had begun to struggle previous to this week’s rainfall. About 15-18% of fields have not yet closed canopy, generate concern for those fields in the countryside. About 3-5% of fields were doing that because droughty stress had reached severe levels. In those locations low organic matter ribbons of soil were evident with beans graying off, occasionally yellowing up, and – in the worst cases browning. Rainfall totals ranging from a tenth to a few inches alleviated that stress early in the week.
Roughly 65-75% of the corn crop has tasseled. Those fields that have not yet tasseled will do so in 3 to 12 days with an average of about 6 days to tassel (across the geography). As with beans, about 3% of the crop had shown evidence of severe droughty stress previous to rain. Moisture stress induced edge of field potash deficiency is evident in about 6% of fields.