LaSalle County experienced a good amount of precipitation this week from the several large storm systems that moved through the area. Luckily, we have not seen any severe damage from these storms. I also have not noticed much standing water in fields. Corn at the IVCC + Extension plots is tasseling or getting close to it. Soybeans are flowering. The IVCC + Extension plots are a little behind in development compared to fields in a lot of LaSalle County. Corn in many fields is tasseling, silking, or has been successfully pollinated.

Southern Illinois is wet. SIUC’s Belleville Research Center has measured over 12″ of rain so far in July, with >6″ coming Monday of this week. Fields that aren’t flooded are still heavily waterlogged. Most corn fields are at VT/Silking. About a quarter of fields were still in vegetative stages and one field with browning silks but that was an outlier. First crop soybeans are either starting to flower or are fully in R2 already. Double crop soybeans are V3-V4 and trying to get above the wheat stubble.

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!