We had several planting windows in between rains beginning May 13 and finishing at the end of May. Local corn is in several different growth stages due to our wide planting date window.

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This was the wettest growing season to date in the past 5 years for most in SE Iowa. Below is an example of Iowa City location showing many rain days this season.

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Sudden Death Syndrome

White Mold

Planting Dates & Weather

• Overall crop condition varies depending on the area you are in.
• Much of our immediate area received record rainfall during planting this spring.
  • This caused a planting window that extended from early April through the entire month of June.
  • Multiple planting passes were needed.
  • Earliest planted corn is into R3 while later planted fields are at VT-R2.
  • There are late replant areas that are still pre-tassel.
• Hard to believe just 12 months ago we were talking about record droughts comparing to ’88 and 2012...
• Through the summer months, rainfall mellowed out A LITTLE (still top 10 in history for our area).
• This spring was in the top 5 wettest for 7 out of the 9 districts according to Iowa State University IME records.

Disease Issues

• Where the crop was able to get established early and find nutrients, we will still see strong yields.
• Where water inhibited development early, we are going to see lower yields.
• Our environment this summer presents the risk for disease.
• We have been able to find NCLB, GLS, common rust, and southern rust.
• Tar spot has continued to work its way throughout the state.
• We will probably continue to see tar spot heighten if temps stay moderate through August and as plant health begins to drop.

Nutrient Issues

• The saturated environment had many operations looking at N deficiency early in the growing season due to denitrification or leaching out of the upper root zone.
• The Pioneer Agronomy Team had an LSNT sampling effort to try to quantify trends.
  • Results were coming back 30-100# short in the worst areas.
  • This had many operations applying additional N through y-drop and side-dress applications
•  With the yield potential in places, humidity we have had, and the risk for stalk lodging this fall in the tough areas, fungicide has been a well accepted recommendation the past few weeks.
• While the saturated soils seem to have played a factor in CRW pressure this year, we have still had a number of fields impacted by feeding.
• Adult beetle control has been a part of many corn on corn fungicide plans in 2024.

Planting Dates & Weather

• Soybeans overall are looking like they could be impressive this year.
• We had some crusting after hard rains again this spring
  • Unlike last year, additional rains helped soften the soil surface. 
  • We did have replant in the drowned-out spots like the corn.
• As expected, beans are accepting later planting better than corn.
• April planted beans were at R3 the week of July 22.
• May planted beans started reaching R3 during the week of July 29th.

Yield Outlook

• It is well known how critical the month of August is for soybean yields.
• We have the potential there right now if mother nature can provide us a strong filling period.
• There will be drowned out spots that we can’t forget about, but outside of those areas soybeans have looked strong.

Insects & Diseases

• Low disease pressure so far in the beans.
• Soybean aphids are starting to show up in parts of the geography.
  • I expect to see planes and sprayers out managing those where needed for the next couple of weeks.
• The 2025 line up of Z-Series Enlist E3^® soybeans brings multiple varieties with the complete Peking gene, providing a welcome change to the majority of acres in our area for SCN control.

Soybean cyst nematode pressure levels across all sites with PEKING source resistance vs. PI88788 Source Resistance.

2023 Pioneer SCN Study

Pioneer Area Leader - Biologicals - Dan Uppena