During my 40-mile crop survey across DeWitt, Macon and Piatt counties, I noticed several things. First, the very spotty nature of the recent rains with water standing in a field and a mile away it was powder dry. Second, it seems that residual weed control is not lasting long enough in some 30-inch row soybeans. I saw applicators in two fields spraying to control amaranth in 30-inch soybeans and other fields that had been sprayed in the past week. Third, the effects of the violent storms in late June that crossed the area are particularly evident in corn fields showing tattered leaves or elbowed stalks.
Soybeans for the most part are in the R3 growth stage with early planted fields approaching the R4 stage. Corn field growth stages varying from R2 (blister) to R3 (milk).

Corn pollination is complete. The cracks in the ground have me hoping for rain soon for grainfill. I unfortunately found that spot for the first time on our farm on a few lower leaves. We will continue to scout to see if the disease progresses and if the fungicide application holds. No report on our soybeans this week, but instead I headed to scout soybeans in Shelby Co.

Abigail Peterson unfortunately found red crown rot when scouting one of here cover crop side by side trials. I went there to investigate further and it is coming to light that this disease may have spread across Shelby County. We also found it in one field in Macon County.

Many corn fields are pollinating in the area. A few of the later planted fields are very uneven.
Soybeans are closing the rows in most fields. Some taller waterhemp above the canopy.
Wheat was harvested this week.

Since June 29th, our area has received about 7 inches of rain; however, we are still in a moderate drought. Crops are in the reproductive stage. Corn height in fields is all over the place.

Another week with precipitation, July has been much more favorable than June for northeast Illinois crops. Even with the rain, some no-till soy fields are noticeably lagging in growth behind tilled fields in our area, especially on lighter ground. Those scouting fields have an opportunity to evaluate their post herbicide applications. For many, these applications took place under very dry and unfavorable conditions. Post control and residual activity or lack thereof is evident in some fields. Waterhemp is pushing through the soy canopy and growing well in corn fields as well. Most corn fields are at or near the critical R1 or silk stage, most soy is at or near R2 or full flower/bloom stage. While scouting I noted my first Northern and Western corn rootworm adults in the area. Local wheat harvest has started and stopped between recent rains.

Our area is highly variable on crop conditions. Rainfall has been highly variable and many areas have just missed major rainfall events for region as a whole. Most of Monroe County has caught some rain on Wednesday of this week ranging from an inch in some places but others only a few tenths. Prior to that most except for the northern part of the county had received little appreciable rainfall over the last two weeks. Even when rains do come, a day or two later the soil is just as dry as it was before any rain; in most fields the deep soil water has already been tapped. Corn is mostly around tassel stage and many fields showing significant stress especially in the afternoon. Tassel emergence is highly variable and in some fields there is a concern with pollination. Soybeans are progressing but they too are showing stress. Double crop soybeans have come up fairly well and are holding there own. The best looking crops overall are those along the west, in the Mississippi River bottoms. Other than some very sandy fields most were planted early and have found some moisture.

Let see see how far this recent rain goes and hopefully catch a few more showers across the area.

For this week’s report, I visited fields in northeast Champaign County. Overall, crops look to be recovering well from the early drought stress. Soil moisture was close to optimal in the fields I visited. And with some moderate rain in the forecast, soil moisture is likely to remain adequate through the next couple of weeks. The majority of corn fields are in full pollination, while there were a few I spotted that are just starting to show tassels and a few others that were nearing the end of pollen shed. Soybeans have closed their canopy on most fields and are at R2-R3. I came across one small wheat field that was harvested, but there were no signs yet of an attempt at planting a double-crop soybean in that field. Weed pressure, largely waterhemp, was present in all the corn fields I visited, but was generally low to moderate. Soybean fields showed a variety of conditions; most appeared relatively clean while there were a few that had some serious issues with waterhemp and volunteer corn.

Corn is almost fully pollinated and recently had a fungicide/insecticide application. Soybeans have just reached R3 and Septoria brown spot is showing up in lower leaves. It’s almost getting dry again and we will need moisture for corn grainfill. High smoke in the air.

Most corn is in R1 with a few fields at R2 (blister) stage. R2 stage corn looks to have had good pollination take place. Soybean fields are in or approaching the R3 stage with good pod set on the stems. Noting a wide variety of defoliators in the fields but not at damaging levels. At this time, I have not seen leaf diseases of note on corn or soybeans.