Central Iowa corn looks good. Timely rains have been beneficial. Some unevenness on side hills but still a good color. Eastern Iowa has had insignificant rains. Areas of fields have given up. Soybeans are stalled out. Strip till potassium is holding better than broadcast.

Conditions are still dry as we have yet to receive measurable rainfall in the area. As POST herbicide applications are being made, caution should be heeded as to which varieties are being sprayed. Some non-Enlist soybean fields have had Enlist applications, resulting in serious damage and plant death. Soybeans are starting to flower, but plant growth has slowed.

Another week without a hint of precipitation in most of NE Illinois, soy has basically stopped growing and corn fields are struggling to canopy between rows. My thermometer is registering 99 degrees this afternoon. I truly hope to share a different story next week, there is concern on how long these crops can hang on before suffering significant yield consequences.

The lower-than-average precipitation not only slows plant growth but also intensifies symptoms caused by soil-borne pathogens (SCN, root-knot nematode, etc.). In this field, just outside Carmi, we can observe severe symptoms caused by the root-knot nematode (Meloidogyne incognita). The symptoms were limited to only a patch in the field over a sandy hill. This nematode does not cause nearly as much damage as SCN in Illinois, but we must keep an eye open for it.

This nematode prefers sandier soils and is most likely found in areas closer to the rivers. If you see patches with stunted plants, dig up some plants and look for galls (see image 2). There is nothing we can do to manage this nematode in this season, but a seed-applied nematicide can help in the future. Corn is also a host of this nematode, so crop rotation is less effective in this case.

South of I74 found momentary relief from continued drought conditions. Small pockets along Rt36 had 1.2-2” Sunday. North of 74 received no measurable rain. Crop growth is seemingly paused. Our only saving grace is cooler conditions.

Conditions change field to field depending on root establishment and moisture. Traveled through eastern Iowa this week and hills look really rough. Armyworm is taking out corn, soybeans and wheat in that area also. Iowa was also dry last year.

My area is dry, but cool nights and cloudy or hazy days are helping to keep stress on the lower end. Corn fields are in growth stage V6 to V10+ for the majority. Corn height is shorter than normal. Soybeans fields vary from V4 to R1 and are shorter then usual. Area wheat fields are looking good with leaf leaves clean and green with harvest getting close.

In Northeast Illinois fortunate farmers and farms received measurable rain, those that didn’t continue to watch their crops struggle in drought conditions. While most are familiar with a corn plants defense mechanism of leaf wrapping to lessen moisture loss, soy has defense mechanisms as well. Under moisture limited conditions or excessive temperature, soybean plants will flip over their leaves. This exposes their silvery-green underside which reflects more light. This process can reduce temperature stress for the plant until it experiences more favorable conditions. Even under stress, I noted the first flowers on Soy plants this week. While our preference is to have a stress-free growing season, stress during the vegetative stages of both corn and soy are less likely to have yield impacts when compared to the reproductive stages if conditions improve. Scouting V10 corn, I noted an insect egg mass on an upper leaf hatching nymphs. What did I find? Confirmed by Dr. Nick Seiter, University of Illinois entomologist, as Stink bugs.

Wheat harvest has started. Yield reports have been very good but moisture is inconsistent. Most who are harvesting are drying their wheat. Replanting is all but done. However most of the replanting on soybeans have the seed sitting in dry soil. There is good soil moisture in many fields below 3 inches. Low humidity is really playing havoc with the crop. Corn is uneven and ranges from lime green to dark green, in the same field and even between rows across most fields. In worked fields we are seeing floppy corn even with 2 inch planting depth due to roots having little to hold on to in the loose dry soil. With the lack of moisture crop damage is way up this year with a lot of deer and turkey damage. Reports of over 30 head of deer in some bean fields picking them clean at night. Some have replanted beans 3 times due to deer damage.

This field has now shown yellowing or K deficiency in large areas for this year and two years ago in corn. Very, dry which only enhances the K deficiency symptoms. No other fields in the area showing symptoms. No spring N was applied at or near planting. We plan to investigate further.