Indiana

Continued lack of rain throughout most of Indiana has farmers concerned about pod fill in the soybean crop. Scattered rains have brought little relief and crop conditions continue to decline, according to a report by the Indiana office of the USDA’s National Agricultural Statistics Service (NASS).

For the week ending Aug. 21, NASS reports show 95 percent of the state’s soybean crop blooming, almost on par with the five-year average of 96 percent. Seventy-four percent of the crop is setting pods, compared to 83 on the five-year average. Soybean crop condition is rated 45 percent good to excellent, 11 percent lower than last year at the same time.

Corn in the driest areas of Indiana is maturing faster than normal, according to the report, and lodging is still a problem. The Hoosier corn crop is rated only 38 percent good to excellent, compared to 59 last year at the same time. Seventy percent of the corn crop is in dough stage and 21 percent in dent stage, according to NASS. That compares to 77 and 33 percent, respectively, on a five-year average.

A rough pollination period left corn ears shorter than desired, according to Indiana NASS Director Greg Preston. In addition, little moisture at the grain fill stage didn’t allow kernels to plump up much. Now the crop is drying down rapidly and the kernels are shrinking from that smaller size.

“Unfortunately that’s what we’re seeing,” Preston said. “More rain at this stage might not help as much as if we’d gotten it earlier.”

He said the crop’s condition implies a decline in this year’s yield, but his department will know more by its next report on Sept. 12.

The dry summer weather has depleted both topsoil and subsoil surpluses of moisture gained from spring rains. Soil moisture is rated at about 40 percent adequate at both levels.

By Andrea McCann
Indiana Correspondent

Illinois

A small percentage of the corn in Illinois has reached the mature stage, according to the Aug. 22 Illinois Weather & Crops report from the state’s NASS field office. Two percent of the crop had matured, down from 11 percent at the same time last year. The five-year average is 6 percent.

Fifty-three percent of corn had reached the dent stage, down from 70 percent last year, but higher than the five-year average of 45 percent.

Soybeans were just starting to turn yellow, with 1 percent of the crop reported at that stage, down from 3 percent last year. The five-year average is also 3 percent. Ninety-one percent of the crop had reached the setting pods stage, the same as last year. The five-year average is 86 percent.

The third cutting of alfalfa was well under way, with 76 percent complete. Last year at this time, 68 percent was complete. The five-year average is 71 percent.

Meanwhile, the harvest of some fruits and vegetables has begun in northern Illinois, with apples reportedly sizing well, according to the latest edition of Illinois Fruit and Vegetable News from the University of Illinois College of Agricultural, Consumer and Environmental Sciences.

Harvesting had begun for pears, cabbage, cucumbers, peppers, tomatoes, muskmelon and summer squash. There have been numerous reports of cucumber beetles and tomato foliar and fruit diseases such as early blight and septoria leaf spot.

Meanwhile, dry conditions in parts of western areas of the state have caused some apples to drop and noticeable sunburn in others. The peach harvest was continuing, though wilting in trees and some heat-damaged flesh of the peaches had been observed.

By Michele F. Mihaljevich
Indiana Correspondent

Ohio

About two weeks ago Stephan Janos applied fungicide, insecticide and fertilizer to his soybeans, something he had never done before. His supplier said they had done the same thing and test plots had shown good results.
Janos said his beans were just starting to form pods when he applied the chemicals and within two weeks he couldn’t believe how much they had grown. He farms on gravel-ground and was hoping for 35 bushels to the acre.
As for his corn fields, Janos’ last corn planting date was June 6 and, at this point, it looks as if that corn will do better than the corn planted in May. “If it does 50 bushels to the acre I would think that would be something,” he said.
Although Janos said his farm had not had rain, the Ohio NASS Aug. 22 report said recent rains have put weed pressure on soybeans. Spider mites and aphids have been reported on soybeans as well.

As of Aug. 21, corn in dough was 58 percent, which was 32 percent behind 2010 and 17 percent behind the five-year average. Corn dented was 9 percent, compared to 55 percent last year and 28 percent for the five-year average. Corn for silage was 4 percent harvested, which was 9 percent behind last year and 2 percent behind the five-year average.

Ninety-nine percent of soybeans were blooming, compared to 100 percent both last year and for the five-year average. Seventy-one percent of soybeans were setting pods compared to 93 percent last year and 94 percent for the five-year average.

Oat acreage is 99 percent harvested, 1 percent behind both last year and the five-year average.
By Celeste Baumgartner
Ohio Correspondent

Michigan
Cooler temperatures and sunshine have provided a taste of fall for most of Michigan, with harvest right around the corner. It looks like things are right on target as August comes to a close.

In some areas of the Thumb and north-central region of Michigan, farmers have begun chopping corn for silage, stemming from a shortage. There are reports that the crop is dry with moisture in the low 70s. But in other areas of the state, silage is still a couple of weeks away.

Corn is highly variable, with many fields in early dent stage and several just past blister stage. Some fields are showing the results of fair to less-than-ideal pollination conditions earlier this year, with many ears not filled at the tip, butt or both, as reported by Michigan State University extension specialist Fred Springborn in the central region of the state.

Corn in the southwestern region is in the dent stage and fields planted in mid- to late June have moved well through the dough stages. Later-planted corn is less stressed while on the whole, the crop is progressing well, reports Bruce MacKellar of MSU extension. The northern regions are reporting the same stages of development but feel they will pull in an average-size crop.

By Melissa Hart
Michigan Correspondent