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| Between the Rows - July 28, 2010 |
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Indiana
Indiana’s 2010 crop progress is still outpacing the norm. “We’re ahead of schedule,” said Sullivan County farmer Travis Page, who raises corn, soybeans and wheat with his father, Brad. “We’re probably 10 days to two weeks ahead of normal.”
The Indiana Crop and Weather Report produced by the National Agricultural Statistics Service (NASS) for the week ending July 18 said 81 percent of corn was silked, compared to 26 at the same time last year and 50 for the five-year average. The crop was rated 62 percent good to excellent.
Sixty-five percent of the soybean crop was blooming, according to the report, compared to 30 at the same time last year and 45 for the five-year average. Twenty-four percent of the crop was setting pods, compared to none the same week a year ago and 7 over a five-year average. Soybean crop condition was rated 62 percent good to excellent.
Winter wheat was 99 percent harvested in the state, compared to 94 last year at the same time and for the five-year average. Condition and yield varied considerably throughout the state.
The second alfalfa cutting was 73 percent complete last week, compared to 67 a year ago and 72 on a five-year average. High humidity made hay slow to dry down and difficult to bale, according to NASS.
Scattered thunderstorms produced varying amounts of rainfall, and soil moisture was rated as generally adequate. Page said on the whole their crops look good, but flooding caused problems in river bottom fields.
“I’d say there’s probably going to be some nitrogen deficiency in the corn crop with all the rain we’ve had,” he said. “We’ve had really good moisture, but we’ve had a lot of heat, and heat can affect yield, too.”
Another issue that could affect yield is volunteer corn, because it competes with the crop it’s invading, especially soybeans. “We’ve never had volunteer corn like this year,” Page said, adding it’s an issue for most farmers this season.
By Andrea McCann
Indiana Correspondent
Ohio
The tomato crop is in full swing in southwestern Ohio, said Ray Arlinghaus, who markets his produce at the Oxford Farmers’ Market Uptown.
“So far it looks like a good crop,” he said. “A lot of growers are fighting blight brought on by the wet, humid, hot weather.
“As far as our fruit crops are concerned, apples have sized well. The peach crop – we’re into the mid-season varieties like Red Haven and the crop has generally sized pretty well. The later varieties all look good.”
According to NASS’ July 19 report, 75 percent of corn was tasseled compared to 38 for the five-year average. Sixty-four percent of soybeans were blooming, which was 5 ahead of the five-year average. Insect and disease pressure was light. The average temperature was 76.5, three degrees above normal.
It’s been a hot summer and according to past research at the University of Illinois, the old adage about warm nights being needed for high corn yields is off the mark, said Peter Thomison, also a member of The Ohio State University agronomics crops team. “Generally, when we have cool summers we have high yields,” he said.
According to crop physiologists, during the early grain fill period that follows silking, cool nighttime temperatures enhance kernel set, Thomison said. That establishes good yield potential.
“Our biggest problem in Ohio right now is, it has been drier than we like,” said Glen Arnold, a member of the OSU agronomics crops team. “We had a late spring planting season due to a lot of moisture in May and now we’re having a much drier July than we would like to have.”
By Celeste Baumgartner
Ohio Correspondent
Illinois
Hot and dry weather over most of the state July 12-18 presented favorable conditions for spraying corn and soybeans and hauling grain, according to the NASS Illinois field office. Soybean producers were allowed to finish planting in previously wet fields and patch-in wet holes, the Illinois Soybean Assoc. (ISA) reported.
The near-arid conditions, preceded by record-setting amounts of precipitation throughout most of the state in June, have combined to foster conditions favorable to a host of crop pests, diseases and other problems.
Mike Gray, entomologist for UoI, is cautioning soybean growers already familiar with green and brown stink bug species to be on alert for newcomers like the red banded stink bug and red shouldered stink bug, previously seen only in Southern states and known to cause significant management problems.
The brown marmorated stink bug, which favors shade and fruit trees, vegetables and legumes such as soybeans, has also been spotted in Illinois, Gray reported.
Waterhemp is prevalent in some Illinois soybean fields, according to the ISA. Some strains have proven resistant to HPPD-inhibiting herbicides. The annual broadleaf can cause significant yield losses if unchecked.
Emerson Nafziger, crop production specialist for UoI extension, reported high densities of volunteer corn in soybean fields are requiring growers to take action with post-emergence herbicides.
Western bean cutworm moths have been spotted in high numbers in Lee County, reported Dale Baird, extension crop systems educator. Egg-laying moths are attracted to cornfields in early pollination, with farmers in northern Illinois at greatest risk. Transgenic Bt hybrids expressing the Cry 1F protein have proven effective against moths.
Goss’ wilt and Physoderma brown spot were detected in separate corn leaf samples submitted to the UoI Plant Clinic. Hail, high winds, heavy rainfall and excess moisture are blamed for the presence of the infections.
Corn was 89 percent silked, up significantly from last year’s 24 and ahead of the five-year average of 65. Corn at dough stage was at 18 percent. Soybeans were 64 percent bloomed compared to 22 in 2009, and the five-year average of 56. Fifteen percent of soybeans have set pods. Winter wheat harvest was 99 percent completed.
By Tim Alexander
Illinois Correspondent
*Please refer to the newspaper for the remaining portion.
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| 7/28/2010 |
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