Indiana
Farmers in western and central Indiana counties played catch-up in the fields in the week ending May 21, when approximately three days were suitable for fieldwork. But intermittent rain showers and flooded river bottoms have caused further delays in eastern and southern counties, forcing some farmers to consider signing up for preventive plantings.

Jackson County agent Richard Beckort said farmers in his flood-prone area are two to three weeks late in planting, but to his knowledge no crop has been flooded out. “At one point, we were 75 percent underwater,” Beckort said.
Neighboring Decatur County, which drains into Jackson County, was at 20 percent of planting levels. Johnson County agent David Smith said with delayed planting comes the concern for proper applications of herbicide and keeping weeds under control.

State rainfalls, according to the National Weather Service, were at 23.82 inches for the month of May, well above the average rainfall of 15 inches. Showers were in the forecast every few days through the end of the month.
Forty-nine percent of the state’s intended corn acreage was planted, compared to 88 percent in 2010 and 76 percent for the five-year average, according to the Indiana office of the USDA’s National Agriculture Statistics Service (NASS). Twenty percent of the corn acreage had emerged.

Seventeen percent of the intended soybean acreage has been planted. Winter wheat condition is rated 59 percent good to excellent, with 46 percent headed. Some wheat is showing signs of stress because of excess moisture.

Drying conditions for hay have been testy, but livestock are enjoying a good pasture stand.

By Nancy Voris
Indiana Correspondent

Ohio
Rainfall has been affecting everything from planting to hay harvest, to fruit pollination, according to the NASS report for May 23.

“This is a difficult situation we find ourselves in,” said Robert Mullen, Ohio State University extension specialist in soil fertility.

If farmers have not yet put nitrogen in the ground, shelve it, Mullen advised: “Just get the corn in the ground – that’s critical at this point.”

Yet not using nitrogen may be a concern for farmers who don’t have a dry box or liquid attachment on their planter that allows them to apply starter fertilizer; if sidedressing is delayed past vegetative growth Stage Five, that could affect yield, he said. “If you don’t need the P and the K, don’t apply it, and that is all based upon soil tests,” Mullen explained.

As far as seeding in wet soil, that is a fine line, he said. Don’t “mud” it in; yet at this point, farmers have to get the seed in the ground. “When the ground is fit, go, as long as you’re not making terrible tracks,” Mullen said. “I don’t know what the alternatives are.”

Corn was 11 percent planted, 76 percent behind last year and 69 percent behind the five-year average, said the NASS report. Corn emerged was 2 percent, compared to 72 percent last year and 58 for the five-year average.
Four percent of soybeans were planted, which was 44 percent behind last year and 50 percent behind the five-year average. Only 1 percent of soybeans hsd emerged, compared to 30 percent last year and 26 for the five-year average.
By Celeste Baumgartner
Ohio Correspondent

Illinois
Both temperatures and rainfall have been below normal in Illinois, according to the NASS. The average temperature for the week ending May 22 was 60.6 degrees, 4.5 below the average. After a very wet early spring, precipitation statewide was 0.61 inch below average as well, at 0.28 inch.

With the lull in rainfall, producers finally were able to make significant progress planting both corn and soybeans. Statewide, 90 percent of the corn has been planted, with 56 percent emerged. About 47 percent of the soybeans have been planted, with 12 percent emerged.

Although the planting picture has improved, University of Illinois extension entomologist Mike Gray recommends corn producers across southern and central Illinois scout their emerging corn seedlings for signs of leaf feeding and cutting by black cutworms. He said flights of black cutworm moths seen during the first two weeks of April could result in cutting-stage larvae in these areas of the state very soon.

“Because of the delayed planting this spring, abundant winter annual weed populations and intense flights of black cutworm moths that have occurred, producers should be vigilant this year in their scouting efforts for this insect,” Gray said.

For more information on scouting and management procedures, visit http:// ipm.illinois.edu/fieldcrops/insects/black _cutworm/index.html
By Deborah Behrends
Illinois Correspondent