Ohio
Ninety-seven percent of corn has emerged, 86 percent of soybeans have been planted (77 emerged), 61 percent of oats were headed and 75 percent of the first cutting of alfalfa was reported.

But officials at the USDA National Agricultural Statistics Office (NASS) office in Reynoldsburg say some flooding of crops was reported in Jefferson, Belmont, Hancock, Marshall and Tuscarawas counties.
Wheat growers are concerned. Hot, humid weather coupled with rain has caused an outbreak of head scab, which affects yield.

“Incidence of head scab ranges from 3 to 61 percent, meaning that between four and 53 heads out of every 100 heads has some level of head scab,” said Pierce Paul, an Ohio State University extension plant pathologist and small grains specialist.

A statewide survey shows incidence of head scab to be moderate to high in 70 percent of the fields surveyed.

Head scab, or head blight, attacks during the crop’s flowering stage when conditions are just right. The disease produces a mycotoxin harmful to humans and animals if ingested.

According to the statewide survey, the majority of fields with greater than 25 percent head scab are in the west-central and northwestern parts of Ohio. Those with less than 10 percent head scab were located in southern, southwestern or northern Ohio.

Paul suggests growers must determine how much scab they actually have in their fields before trying to quantify a yield loss or tearing out the wheat crop and planting soybeans instead.

By Doug Graves
Ohio Correspondent

Indiana
With 97 percent of the corn acreage emerged and 88 percent of soybean acreage planted, major activities in Indiana include sidedressing corn, herbicide applications, cleaning and storing equipment, cutting and baling hay, mowing and taking care of livestock.

While NASS estimates 76 percent of the first cutting of alfalfa has been harvested, farmers in Fulton, Kosciusko, Whitley, DeKalb, LaGrange and Wabash counties were still scrambling at week’s end to finish baling. Many relied on weather forecasts predicting fair weather, only to have their hopes soaked by Friday’s pounding rain.
Paul Vincelli of the University of Kentucky said the most important management practice for leaf diseases of alfalfa is cutting in a timely manner. This captures the yield from infected leaves before they defoliate, reduces buildup of infectious residue on the ground and exposes crowns to the sun and wind, reducing spring black stem.

Only 1 percent of the winter wheat crop has been harvested. Wheat condition is rated 69 percent good to excellent, compared with 73 this time last year.

Kosciusko County farmer Kevin Haney rejoiced Friday that his winter wheat crop was still standing after a severe thunderstorm accompanied by high winds swooped through, lowering temperatures 30 degrees in a matter of minutes. As for the head scab plaguing some areas, he reported none.

“We had a few spots just as the wheat was ready to head,” he said, “but after we sprayed with a fungicide, it cleared up. The wheat looks good.”

By Ann Allen
Indiana Correspondent

Illinois
The northern part of Illinois sees corn development continuing at a fast pace, reports Emerson Nafziger of the University of Illinois.

“Some farmers are still trying to catch up following rains two weeks ago and get their nitrogen on with dwindling options. There are still a few scattered soybean fields that need to be planted, with good to excellent crop conditions in most soybean fields,” he said.
In central Illinois, the corn looks either “really good or really bad – there is no middle ground. Planting date and soil drainage appear to be the two deciding factors.”

Most fields that had drainage issues required replanting and now show noticeably uneven stands. There have also been reports of yellow, stunted plants, most likely because of standing water or other herbicide issues. Early planted corn is waist-high, but most corn is 20-24 inches tall. Nafziger said the rapid growth phase has begun, and many fields will be tasseling by July 4.

The story in southern Illinois is different, with corn well into its exponential growth phase. While most fields appear to have “excellent color, continuing wet conditions have resulted in non-uniform growth in poorly drained areas. Weed management continues to be an issue.”

Growers are working around thunderstorms to finish soybean planting, and untouched fields are still easy to find. Many are wetter than ideal for seedbed prep.

Wheat fields are turning brown and approaching hard dough stage. Dry, sunny weather is needed to facilitate final drying and harvest.

By Karen Binder
Illinois Correspondent