Conditions over the past two weeks have reverted back to being dry, with temperatures in the upper 80s to low 90s. The corn and soybeans have been progressing very quickly with the increased Growing Degree Units (GDUs) and just enough moisture. As we look at the drought map, most of northern Illinois remains in D0 drought, with a small area south of Chicago in D1. The future forecast calls for more of the same: lower humidity and moderately high temperatures. I expect growing conditions to be ideal as we move through ear and pod fill in both crops. On the season, we are approaching 1,900 GDUs.

Corn is moving quickly through reproductive stages and is mostly at R3 (milk stage), with a few fields slightly behind at late-stage R2. Within the fields, disease is starting to creep in, but it is nothing I would be overly concerned about. Tar spot is replicating in the lower leaves thanks to some lower temperatures and heavy dews, but fungicides are keeping the upper canopy clean and ideal for ear fill. I have not seen much northern corn leaf blight. Gray leaf spot is present in the lower canopy, but again, this isn’t anything to worry about. I’ve seen a few corn leaf beetles, but they remain far below any threshold of economic loss. Overall, corn is looking great as we enter a bit of a lull in the growing season.

Soybeans have made a large jump in size thanks to the weather and ideal growing conditions. Fields with taller varieties are chest-high on me (6’3″, for reference) and are lush. Pods are beginning to fill out and are mostly at R4, entering R5 as the beans begin seed fill. Overall, this is one of the cleanest years disease-wise that I have seen in soybeans. Ideal temperatures and a general lack of moisture have produced very little disease pressure. Other than the occasional wet spot from heavy rains in July, soybeans are looking great across the board.