Majority of crops are in excellent condition. Received 1 to 2 inches of rain last night with no storm damage. Moderate temperatures forecast for the next week should be beneficial.

Compared to my last trip around Coles County at the end of May, conditions are considerably wetter now in mid-July with an estimated 5-6 inches of rain since the beginning of the month, according to the Midwest Regional Climate Center. Most fields are at or near water holding capacity, and although not widespread, standing water could be seen in areas of low-lying fields at the time of this survey (7/16). That said, much of the corn and soybean crop still looked healthy and will likely continue that way if the current forecast holds, and no significant rainfall is experienced in the area over the next 5-7 days. Most corn fields were at least showing tassels, and the most advanced fields were around R2. Most soybean fields are somewhere around R2-R3 with a few stragglers still in late vegetative or early reproductive stages. I saw one field of double-crop soybeans emerged and at V1-2. Insect damage still appears to be minimal, but Japanese beetles and some corresponding defoliation (< 5%) were seen in a number of soybean fields. Except for in the areas of standing water, disease symptoms were also minimal at the time of the survey. Although if wet conditions persist, that may change in the coming weeks.

Weather has been favorable. Crops look good, would look better if it was two weeks earlier. Soybeans look good but waterhemp is emerging in some fields. Be careful of restrictions- there are limitations.

Million dollar rain, corn tassels, soybean blooms, Japanese beetles and more!

The remnants of Hurricane Beryl passed through northeastern Illinois depositing widespread and varying precipitation. Area wheat growers who have yet to harvest are facing an extended combining schedule and likely lower test weights as the grain rewets and dries. Many corn fields are currently pollinating, always an uncomfortable time to scout. Even so, it is still a critical time to do so, determining leaf disease pressure and fungicide application decisions. Current commodity prices suggest an eight to ten bushel preservation of yield is necessary to justify the cost of most aerial applications. I have yet to see Tar spot, but an agronomist further southeast shared that symptoms have been found. The University of Illinois Plant Clinic is offering free Tar Spot screening again this year. The downloadable screening form can be found at https://extension.illinois.edu/sites/default/files/2024-06/2024_free_corn_tar_spot_form_0.pdf . Waterhemp is starting to push through soy canopies and many conversations in July have centered on resprays and herbicide dissatisfaction. Make note and evaluate your level of control in fields as you plan for 2025. I always enjoy seeing brace root emergence in a corn field. I note hybrid differences and have heard a plant breeder suggest that brace roots are a photosynthetic drain on a corn plant yield potential. Whether it helps or hinders final yield, I feel better when seeing corn plants with the additional anchoring support of brace roots that make it to the soil. In my mind, it’s going to help that plant stand through harvest.

Most of the corn and soybean crop in Ford County is looking healthy after some needed rain from the remnants of Beryl, although it may have been a little more than ideal for a few fields. Low lying areas where farmers struggled getting a crop planted and established this spring once again have standing water. However, the extent of observed ponding was relatively minimal at the time of this survey, with most fields saturated but not too tacky when walking through. A small proportion of the corn fields are at R1, but most are still a leaf or two away from VT. There are also a handful of fields still in the V8-V10 stages. Soybeans ranged from V3/V4 to R2, with most fields showing at least a few flowers. Weed control looked good, overall, in corn. Soybean fields were more variable. With a few exceptions, most fields looked relatively clean from the road, but recently emerged waterhemp seedlings and/or escapes that were not controlled by herbicide applications could be found pretty easily when walking through a number of soybean fields.