Pro Farmer Midwest Crop Tour - Day 2

Crop Conditions Across Northwest Indiana

- Update from Field Agronomist Carl Joern

Corn

• Adequate soil moisture and mild temperatures during July lead to low-stress at pollination. Recent extended periods of leaf wetness from morning dews have lead to conducive conditions for disease.
• Tar spot has become an annual threat, especially on irrigated acres. Pioneer hybrids known for their late season plant health have demonstrated a strong advantage over “die and-dry” genetics.
• Northern Corn Leaf Blight has been sparse so far, except on irrigated fields.

Soybeans

• Spider Mite damage has ebbed and flowed with dry weather.
• Sudden Death Syndrome is just beginning to show up.

Crop Conditions Across Southeast Nebraska

- Update from Field Agronomist Doran Johnson

Excellent planting conditions across the area allowed for record pace of corn and soybean planting. Dry conditions early on created more variability in stands than we would have liked to see. Late May and timely June and July rains have created an above average crop in both dryland and irrigated fields if they did not receive any wind or hail damage from these storms.

Southern rust has made an earlier than normal appearance and continues to spread fast. Dryland fields will need one more timely rain to secure in some areas a record crop while irrigated fields are on the downside of watering.

Gray leaf spot also continues to spread, though at a lesser pace than southern rust. In my opinion, late season standability will be challenged with a from high yields and foliar disease pressure.