Fields are dry, but not seeing a lot of stress in plants. This area could use a good rain. We saw our first field of tasseled corn. In one soybean field, seeing several grape colaspis beetle and couple of Japanese beetles.

Woodford County is not in the drought monitor but could still use a rain. Farmers continue to spray when conditions are allowing. Check those crop height/growth stage restrictions on the herbicide labels. Spraying late may damage yields and cause regrets come fall.

Corn fields are showing signs of stress and leaf rolling during this high heat environment. Compacted soils during planting can further exacerbate the stress due to lack of root development. Flash drought conditions have also shown to impact smaller corn where root development is not as advanced. Dry soils in the top layers have slowed or stopped nodal roots to grow and be productive.

Hot and dry! Soybean quickly approaching R2 with some very, healthy, waterhemp that survived the last herbicide application. No disease, deer feeding in patches, and slight insect pressure.

A shift in the 2024 growing season, we have transitioned from fields experiencing levels of wet, saturated and underwater to having some version of hot, dry and stressed crops in many areas of northeast Illinois. Many soy fields have received their post herbicide and are slowly putting out new trifoliates because of unfavorable growing conditions. Uneven corn fields can be found in areas most effected by heavy rainfall events earlier in the season. Earliest planted corn has reached V11 to V12 growth stage. While scouting (a job best done early morning with current temperatures) I noted fungal growth developing near whorls and on corn leaves. My prognosis is an early season infection of Corn smut, to be confirmed by the University of Illinois Plant clinic. In the fields visited the infection appears to have a varietal influence.
For those in northern Illinois I always encourage farmers to be aware of what is happening downstate to alert us to potential issues we may encounter later. Looking at information from neighboring states is beneficial as well, and recently both Iowa and Indiana confirmed the presence of Tar spot. In both states it is considered one of the earlier dates for confirmation of the disease. The annual spread of the disease can be followed on the Corn ipmPIPE. https://corn.ipmpipe.org/tarspot/
Be on the lookout and be safe when working in the hot weather!

Like much of the state, in LaSalle County it has been hot with only one day in the past week having some scattered showers. There are some scattered thunderstorms in the forecast for next week, though. Overall crops are still looking good, but the soil is starting to dry out a bit on top. Corn at the IVCC research and demonstration plots is at V5, and soy is at V2/3 (both planted May 20). Later planted or replanted crops in LaSalle County are at similar maturity, but earlier planted corn is reaching V10 – V11 stage and some earlier soy is getting close to R1.