Corn and soybeans are progressing well in northern Vermilion County, as full-season crops are entering key grain fill stages. Impacts from wet weather early in the season can still be seen in low-lying fields, with uneven growth stage and canopy where the crop survived. Conditions have been a bit dryer in the region over the past several weeks, and surface soils are starting to crack. That said, crops do not appear to be experiencing much stress at this point, as they are likely able to access moisture deeper in the soil profile.

Most full-season soybean fields were somewhere in the pod development stages (R3-R4), and the few double-crop soybean fields I found were in the V2-V3 range. Disease and insect pressure still appeared to be low in most soybeans, but weeds were a different story in a handful of fields. Corn generally ranged from R1 (silking) to R3 (milk). I found a couple fields with some mild aphid pressure, and foliar symptoms of nitrogen deficiency could be found in the lower canopy in those areas affected by the early-season moisture and subsequent soil conditions. Foliar disease symptoms can also be found in these areas where plants are stressed, but healthy corn still looks relatively clean of foliar diseases.