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Day 2 Eastern Route
Noblesville, IN → Bloomington, IL
Pioneer Leader - Andy Knepp, Senior Sales Agronomist
Central IL
By August 20: projected maturity for corn is R2-R5 and for soybeans is R4-R6.
Crop Conditions Across Central Illinois
- Andy Knepp
Corn
Planting Dates:
- Ranged from the second week of April through the end of May.
- Even into June for some replanting.
- Variation in planting dates made for a wide range of agronomic issues throughout the growing season.
Weather:
- 2024 presented a challenging spring for planting with frequent rains.
- Warm and dry weather in June was cause for concern.
- Rainfall since late June has been adequate to excessive in a few isolated areas.
Yield Outlook:
- Despite a number of agronomic issues, outlook is still good.
- Will depend on weather conditions and duration of the grain filling period.
Soybeans
Planting Dates:
- Soybean planting dates were similar to corn.
- Many growers prefer to plant their soybeans earlier than what the weather allowed them to in 2024.
- Later-planted soybeans may have reduced yield potential.
- Higher than normal replanting was required due to challenging stand establishment conditions.
Crop Injury & Disease:
- Widespread herbicide injury was observed throughout June and July from off-target herbicide movement as noted in extension updates.
- Observations of foliar disease pressure have been limited.
- Late July has been very favorable for white mold development.
Insect Issues in Corn
- Stand loss from black cutworm in late-planted corn necessitated some replants.
- Corn leaf aphids were present in damaging levels in many fields in July, showing a preference for late-planted corn and for specific hybrids.
- High populations of Japanese beetles and corn rootworm (western and northern) were noted clipping silks in late-planted fields.
- There were few reports of root pruning damage caused by corn rootworms.
Corn Leaf Aphids
Black Cutworm Injury
Disease Issues in Corn
- With verified detection in early July, tar spot showed up earlier than normal.
- Gray leaf spot occurrence and severity has been lower than expected based on rainfall/humidity.
- Northern corn leaf blight was detected in late July, and concern for southern rust remains high.
- The potential for diseases to cause yield losses in later-planted corn due to the overlap with the grain filling period is high.
Tar Spot
Northern Corn Leaf Blight
Day 2 Western Route
Grand Island, NE → Nebraska City, NE
Pioneer Leader - Casey Rankin, Field Agronomist
Southeast NE
Early April planted corn has looked excellent all year. Soybeans have looked great all year - biggest challenge was timely herbicide application.
Max Yield Corn Plot – Adams, NE
Crop Conditions Across SE Nebraska
- Casey Rankin
The biggest lingering concern for both crops is lack of moisture in recent weeks coupled with high temps. We desperately need a rain to finish these crops.
Corn
- Corn crop ranges from R1 to R5 as of August 2.
- The first half of the year brought good to even excessive rainfall (SE corner).
- Extensive leaf wetness during pollination coupled with lack of wind created some delayed pollination of the base of the ear.
Pollination misses at base of the ear - Eagle, NE
- Bacterial leaf streak was evident in every field, some at very high levels.
- Tar spot showed up early in Richardson County – but remained at bay until recently.
- Southern rust moved in the tail end of July.
Southern Rust – Tecumseh, NE
- Early pollination evaluation showed some late fertilization of kernels near the base of the ear.
- Many of these kernels filled late – but some misses happened.
- Modern corn hybrids' silk exertion and pollen shed timing has changed to avoid pollen being shed before silk emergence.
Soybeans
- By planting soybeans in early April, we have increased our growing season by 30 days.
- A fall burndown is a great way to get ahead on next years weed control.
- Bean leaf beetles, thistle caterpillars and gall midge have all been a concern in various areas.
Gall Midge – Elmwood, NE
- Pill bugs were devasting early season around the Highway 77 corridor and west.
- SDS is starting to show up.
SDS – Falls City, NE
Richardson County, NE
Pioneer Agronomy Innovation Leader Matt Essick
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Crop Tour Days 1, 3, & 4
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My Local Pioneer Team
Our unmatched team of local professionals live and work in your community. They’re ready to help you select high-yielding products and provide year-round service and expertise. Have questions? Ask your local Pioneer sales representative today.
Our unmatched team of local professionals live and work in your community. They’re ready to help you select high-yielding products and provide year-round service and expertise. Have questions? Ask your local Pioneer sales representative today.