After the recent heat, it appears that most crops have turned quickly over night. Early April planted corn is almost to black layer and early April plants soybeans are turning. Harvest will be here soon. Be sure to check corn stalk quality to know which fields to harvest first.

I wish I could take the stance “If don’t have something nice to say, don’t say anything at all.” This crop is loosing its luster quickly. Insect feeding and soybean vein necrosis virus is severely limiting the plant’s ability to finish. Compound that with abnormally dry soil conditions and it’s just a bad combination. Corn and beans are going to limp across the finish line. That checkered flag will come soon than we expect when the heat returns this weekend.

Both corn and soy crops in western Champaign County are getting closer to maturity, as leaf senescence has started in several fields in that area. Corn fields I surveyed were all at mid to late R5 (dent) stages. Yields look to be somewhat variable, with a few fields having some consistently large ears and minimal tipback, while others were more affected by the droughty conditions of the season and/or weed pressure issues and will probably result in yields slightly below an expected trendline average for the county. Several soybean fields are also starting to show leaf senescence, with most at R6 (full seed) and some fields with a few plants edging into R7 (beginning maturity).

This area has not seen rain in over two weeks and is not forecasted again until 9/6. Disease presence is still low as a result. The dry conditions were exacerbated by high temperatures (upwards of 97 degrees F) last week, which we will see again this weekend. Corn is dented (R5), and soybeans are at R6. Many corn ears exhibit tip back, likely due to dry conditions around pollination. Driving around, I have observed many fields with significant weed pressure, which hopefully serve as a reminder for increased diligence on weed control next season.

Crops in McLean and Woodford County faired better in last week’s heat than other areas. Moisture would be helpful to get through next week’s return of heat.

Crops in areas with less moisture haven’t matured as much as give up on life after the heat. Shanks have weakened, dropping ears, and ceasing grain fill. Black layers showed up in fields unexpectedly.

It was a hot one and the early planted/earlier maturity corn and soybeans are starting to turn quickly. Corn is 1/2 to 3/4 milk line depending on maturity. Thus, far grainfill seems to be just fine, but would really like some rain to finish out the season. Many have started to watch out for stalk rot to know which corn fields to harvest first. Cercospora leaf blight started to show up in soybeans.