Corn rootworm egg hatch is underway in central Illinois, and will reach its peak in historical problem regions in northern Illinois over the next couple of weeks. I have not received dramatic reports of seedling insect injury so far this year – once corn is past roughly V5 and soybean gets a few true leaves on it, plants will mostly outgrow this sort of injury. Both crops are pretty resilient to early insect feeding as long as stand is not reduced.

We will participate in a regional monitoring program for corn rootworm adults again this year, beginning in early-mid July. If you are interested in participating, email me at nseiter@illinois.edu and we will send you traps and a protocol.

Report from Central & West-Central Illinois

West-central/Central Illinois continues to show a diverse story, a story similar to the diverse north to south story in Illinois as a whole.

A tour west and north will show beans pushing a fourth trifoliate on better than 60% of acres. Some corn is flirting with 8 leaves with 2 out of every 10 fields well into 7.

Cross the River to the east, traveling to Springfield and crop growth & development remains exceptional. Better than 2/3 of the bean crop is pushing into V4. 75-80% of fields have corn in the V5 stage. At least 10% of crop sits at 6 to 7 leaves.

V5 to V6 stage corn only makes up about 30% of the corn crop as you move from Springfield to Taylorville with most of the crop in the three to four leaf stage (nearly 60%). Barely 20% of the bean crop had thought about V4 by the end of the week with better than half the crop closer to V2-V3.

Running south of Taylorville and just north of the wet line that has been Route 16 shows nearly a third of the bean and corn crop just past cotyledon stage or first leaf.

Mid to late week rainfall totals hit 1 inch to a few inches. Early week saw a fair amount of post-herbicide applications in fields.

Over the last 2-3 weeks there has finally been a lot of field activity as we’ve been mostly dry with just a few sporadic showers to temper the pace. Other than a couple outlier fields, the most advanced corn is V3/V4, the average corn for the area is VE/V1, with a number of fields in the ground but not up yet. I’d say corn planting is around 90-95% completed. There might be a few fields yet to get in but it seems like most of the corn is in the ground in Marion County.

First crop soybeans on the other hand still have a way to go, I’d guess around 2/3 of them have been planted. Other than a few outlier fields at V3, the average soybean in the area is just emerging this week if it’s in the ground at all.

Given the warm weather over the last week, wheat has turned the corner and is fully marching toward senescence. An hour south of here, in Franklin County, wheat is turning more yellow than green, and the kernels are becoming doughy. Here in Marion County the heads are still mostly greenish, but yellowing fast. Depending on the weather, we are still at least 10-14 days out from wheat harvest.

Thank you to everyone doing your best rain dances! June started off with 1.1 inches of much needed rain as we are still in a D1 drought in northern IL with some areas in the freeport area reaching D2. As of Wednesday nearly of all of Northern IL received some moisture, with many areas averaging around 1 inch of rain. Plants around the region are emerged and are progressing through early vegetative states. Plants overall are a bit stunted from the lack of moisture, but should shoot up after the rain and with more rain in the forcast.

Corn: The crop is progressing along. Every field I saw has emerged with most fields ranging between V2 and V4 pushing V5 depending on planting date. Corn looks healthy and green with no disease seen yet.

Soybeans: Soybeans are anywhere between V1 and V3 and emerging uniformly across the region. They are healthy and green, with some areas seeing herbicide drift damage but the plants will grow out of this quickly.

Wheat: The crop is well on its way into Feekes 11 (ripening), or is in the very late stages of Feekes 10.5.3 (full anthesis). I have not seen much if any disease this season thus far with the continued dry weather. With the large rain on Wednesday and more predicted early next week disease may start to creep in with various head blights. Scouting will be your best defense of knowing what is in the field.

Overall the season is moving along quickly and we should be seeing some great growth over the next couple of weeks

Most of our field tiles still have very light discharge. Planting progress at 98%. Waiting on some organic growers to get finished up.

At the time of my survey (6/3) in northern Champaign County, soil moisture conditions were near normal in the top several inches, although some wet corners and low areas of fields could still be found. But with about an inch of rain falling on Wednesday (6/4), soils are currently a little on the wet side. Overall, the corn and soybean crops are looking healthy in the area with some of the corn starting to take off. The average growth stage of corn fields encountered during my survey was around V3-V4 with some of the earlier planted fields reaching V6-V7. Side-dress ammonia was being applied in a few corn fields in the area, as well. Soybeans were largely in the VC-V1 range, with a few fields a bit further along. Weed control looked good, for the most part, and post-emergence herbicide applications had been made in many of the soybean fields visited. Wheat fields surveyed were finished flowering (Feekes 10.5.4) but developing kernels are still in the “watery ripe” stage.

There are still planters out in the field, mostly replanting both corn and soybeans. There are some fields with less than desired stands and they really seem to be showing up from the road. There are also side-dressing of corn as well as post herbicide applications being made on corn and earlier planted soybeans. No major pests or diseases. Excited for the heat this week to get some crop growth.

Soybeans are VC to V3 depending on planting date. Corn is V5 to V1 depending on planting date. Crop has seemed to stall with the cool weather. We are dry, but there is still adequate subsoil moisture. Rain and heat are in the forecast for this week – both will be welcomed!

1 inch rain over night. 85% done planting corn and soybeans. 50% emerged or bigger. Last 10 days insane progress planting. Sidedress UAN Beginning on early planted corn. Some post soybean spraying in areas.

The crop conditions across my 3-county area vary from just planted corn to V4 stage corn. The soybean fields are much the same with newly planted to almost V3 (3rd trifoliate). Sidedressing of corn and post emergent weed control are in progress. Crops look good except for fields that have experienced severe weather damage.