Hot and humid weather throughout Iowa aided crop development for the week ending July 19, according to the July 20 Iowa Crop & Weather report, allowing farmers to cut hay, apply fungicide to corn and begin tasseling corn throughout the state.

“In general, crops are in pretty good shape, with 83 percent of corn and 77 percent of soybeans rated good to excellent,” said Iowa Agriculture Secretary Bill Northey.

State Meteorologist Harry Hillaker added, “The combination of heat and humidity pushed official heat indices to 111 degrees at Burlington on Monday (July 13) and 110 degrees (that) Friday, while unofficial readings (rising) even higher elsewhere over southern Iowa.”

The report said more than half the corn reached the silking stage, with soybeans blooming or beyond reaching 62 percent, and 15 percent setting pods.

On July 22, Glenn Fuller, northwestern Iowa regional sales manager for Latham Hi-Tech Seeds, said, “Heat and moisture seem to be the theme once again this week,” but he saw little disease or insect pressure as he walked through the company’s soybean fields.

“In most cases, I’m seeing up to five and six flowers/pods in each little cluster on almost every branch. The one thing I am seeing in quite a few soybean fields is this yellowing effect on end rows and in some locations of the field.

“I believe this is due to over-spraying during the last chemical application,” he said. “This yellowing is stressing the plant and will likely negatively affect yield at some level.”

The state’s report added oat acreage turned color or beyond, reaching 87 percent, with 28 percent harvested for grain or seed. But oat condition declined to 79 percent good to excellent.

The report also said the first cutting of alfalfa hay was 95 percent complete, with the second cutting reaching 53 percent and hay condition rated at 69 percent good to excellent.