Cool temperatures and persistent wet conditions hindered fieldwork in Iowa during the week ending May 31, according to the June 1 Iowa Crop & Weather report, with farmers reporting standing water in some fields and the need to replant in areas of some fields.

"Unfortunately, wet weather continues to limit the ability of farmers to get into the field," said Iowa Agriculture Secretary Bill Northey. "Soybean planting is now four days behind the five-year average. Southwest Iowa has been the most delayed by the weather, with only 37 percent of soybeans planted compared to 78 percent for the statewide average."

State Meteorologist Harry Hillaker said temperature extremes varied from afternoon highs of 86 degrees at Spencer, Okoboji Lake and Emmetsburg, while Elkader reported a low of 40 degrees one morning.

The report said 97 percent of corn had been planted, emerging 90 percent, and 80 percent rated good to excellent.

Virgil Schmitt, Iowa State University field agronomist, said he started receiving several phone calls on June 1 concerning "multiple instances of sunscald/silver leaf in corn." But he added, "The injury to the plants is so minor that yield loss will not occur."

The report said soybean planting reached 78 percent complete, with southwestern and south-central Iowa continuing to lag behind in the planting of their expected soybean acreage, with only 37 and 50 percent of their crop in the ground, respectively. Soybean emergence reached 53 percent, slightly behind last year and normal, the report added.

The report also stated oat emergence is nearly complete, while oats headed reached 8 percent that week. Moreover, frequent rains continued to slow progress on the first cutting of alfalfa, with just 18 percent complete.