Warm temperatures have been very welcome and have helped spur crop development. While there has not been much rain over the last week, there is still plenty of moisture deeper in the soil from previous rains. Some insects are starting to show themselves in corn and soybean fields, but there are no signs of significant damage yet.

6 inches of rain in last 7 days. Just getting back in the field to get some spraying done. More rain expected next 5 days. Waterhemp going wild!

I’ve received several reports of injury from grape colaspis; in some cases it’s pretty extensive. Scout lighter textured soils and high points in rotated corn (or soybean following soybean), especially in areas that have had trouble in the past. The adults lay eggs in legumes; the partially grown larvae overwinter, then feed on roots of corn, soybean, or most other plants the following year. They resemble tiny white grubs.

The crop conditions across my 3-county area vary from V3 to V7 stage corn, and the soybeans range from unifoliate to blooming. Sidedressing of corn is completed with post-emergent herbicide applications still taking place. The corn and soybean crops look good with few problems.
The few wheat fields in the area are looking good where preventative fungicides were applied earlier. Wheat fields without preventative fungicide applications have numerous diseases present.

I had the chance to drive west from Springfield, IL, on I-72 to Quincy, IL, then head toward Macomb, IL, before returning home. For the most part, corn and soybeans look great in this part of western Illinois. I evaluated one of the ISA sulfur plots near Macomb, IL, where soybeans were just beginning to flower. Corn is at the rapid growth stage (around V6). Post-spraying and side-dressing appear to be finished. I spotted a click beetle—possibly a sign of wireworm issues—near our plot, but soybean stands were adequate at around 100,000 plants per acre. No major diseases were found, though root rots such as Phytophthora could begin to show up with additional rainfall.

Fields in LaSalle County have dried out a bit over the last week, with only minimal rainfall over the weekend. At the IVCC + Extension Research and Demonstration Plots corn is nearing V5 and soy V1-2. Other fields scouted in LaSalle County have V6 corn and V2-3 soybeans. One soybean field that was scouted showed signs of root rot, potentially Phytophthora.