Russ Higgins
IL Extension
rahiggin@illinois.edu

Russ Higgins
IL Extension
rahiggin@illinois.edu

RUSS HIGGINS UPDATES

Region 3 | May 10, 2023 |

Russ Higgins
rahiggin@illinois.edu

SYNOPSIS

Mostly favorable growing conditions in NE Illinois. Spotty precipitation slowed some farmers who are trying to wrap up the 2023 planting season. Cooler soils slowed some soybean emergence, especially in high residue No-till fields. Those scouting soybean fields have reported some emerging soy exhibiting discolored cotyledons. Likely causes can include stressful emergence conditions, diseases, herbicide injury from pre-emergent herbicides (likely PPO-inhibiting herbicides whose injury to emerging soybeans is enhanced by cool and wet conditions). If the cotyledons have a distinctive “halo'” on the cotyledon and the soy planted was seed-treated with the fungicide fluopyram (ILeVO), the browning is the result of phytotoxicity caused by accumulation of the fungicide in the cotyledon. We encourage early season scouting but also suggest farmers observe their soybean fields for several days to a week of favorable growing conditions before making rash replant decisions. Soybean are a resilient crop that often outgrow early season issues.

WHICH OF THE FOLLOWING BEST DESCRIBES CURRENT CONDITIONS IN THIS COUNTY?
Mildly Wet (soil is wetter than normal, local vegetation is healthy)
IF CONDITIONS ARE ON THE DRY END, WHICH OF THE FOLLOWING US DROUGHT MONITOR CATEGORIES BEST FIT CURRENT CONDITIONS
Near Normal (Dnada)