DES MOINES, Iowa — The swath of unseasonably hot and humid weather – which was often mixed with severe thunderstorms and hail – for the week ending June 17 that stretched from the Upper Midwest and Great Lakes states down through Kentucky, left behind both pristine growing conditions and significant crop damage.

 

Warm and windy weather with spotty thunderstorms prevailed across Iowa, causing strong winds and damaging hail for some farmers, with temperatures ranging from highs of 97 degrees to morning lows of 51, according to the June 20 Iowa Crop & Weather report.

Moreover, weekly rain totals varied from 0.21 to 4.65 inches, with many parts of the Hawkeye State seeing some needed rain, said Iowa Agriculture Secretary Bill Northey.

“Unfortunately, it was accompanied by some severe weather that caused some hail damage to crops,” he said.

Like Iowa, heat and humidity also settled in Indiana, with storms delivering heavy amounts of rain in many areas, according to Greg Matli, Indiana state statistician with USDA’s National Agricultural Statistics Service (NASS).

He said temperatures helped crop growth and wheat ripening, with the statewide average temperature of 77.3 degrees 5.7 degrees above normal. However, Indiana’s crop report noted some storms were severe enough to leave standing water and crop damage, as in Iowa.

The report said Indiana’s winter wheat was 48 percent mature in the north, 65 percent in the middle and 90 percent in the south.

Winter wheat harvest hasn’t started in the north, but is at 6 percent in central Indiana and 60 percent in the south.

NASS noted Illinois farmers made good progress on harvesting wheat, with winter wheat harvest up to 65 percent complete and condition rated 5 percent very poor to 18 percent excellent. In addition, Michigan’s winter wheat crop continued to progress toward maturity and conditions improved following the rainfall.

In Ohio, the temperatures helped ripen wheat as harvest got underway. In Tennessee, winter wheat was 95 percent mature, with 75 percent harvested.

“Wheat harvest is almost over and our yields are about 20 bushels below last year,” said Larry Moorehead, University of Tennessee extension director in Moore County.

Much like Iowa and Indiana, Kentucky saw an early start to summer as heat, humidity and an unsettled pattern returned to the area, with highs consistently rising into the middle 80s to low 90s, said Tom Priddy, University of Kentucky (UK) agricultural meteorologist.

“The very moist air led to torrential rainfall from time to time,” he explained.

The state’s crop report said spotty showers and rainfall also led to some reports of local flooding in low-lying fields and delayed fieldwork, periodically. The report stated some disease and insect pressure were reported in fruit and vegetable crops.

Marlo Johnson, NASS director of the Great Lakes regional office, said the added moisture and warm temperatures in Michigan provided optimal growing conditions and boosted crop development, with warmer temperatures speeding up fruit development – but also increasing insect activity.

The state’s crop report said: “Strawberry harvest continued as fruit ripened quickly in the warm weather; smaller-than-normal fruit size continued to be reported across the state. Blueberries were in the green fruit stage, and growers were irrigating where possible.”

The report noted Michigan apple fruit ranged in diameter from 20-35 millimeters in the southwest and east. In addition, the report said “asparagus harvest continued in the west-central region, as the season is expected to draw to a close over the next two weeks.”

The USDA said Illinois’ corn condition was 2 percent very poor to 13 percent excellent, and Indiana’s corn emergence was 92 percent in the north, 93 percent in central and 92 percent in the southern part of the state.

Iowa’s corn was rated 78 percent in good to excellent condition and Michigan’s corn emergence was at 96 percent.

(In addition, Iowa’s oats headed reached 67 percent, with the first cutting of alfalfa hay 94 percent complete and second cutting underway in many areas.)

In Ohio, “sporadic rainfall was conducive for corn growth (emerging 96 percent) and pasture rejuvenation,” said Cheryl Turner, state statistician, although most rains weren’t excessive and soil moisture levels remained steady.

In Kentucky, corn emergence was 96 percent and silking was 4 percent; and Tennessee’s corn silking was at 12 percent and squaring was at 23 percent.

The USDA said Illinois’ soybean planting was 97 percent complete, emerging at 92 percent.

The state’s crop report stated excessively dry conditions during much of June slowed soybean emergence in some areas, and some replanting of corn and soybeans was necessary.

Indiana’s soybean planting was at 96 percent, and 86 percent was emerged in the north, compared with 83 percent in central and 81 percent in the southern part of the state. 

 

NASS stated that Iowa’s soybean emergence reached 92 percent, and soybean condition was rated 74 percent good to excellent; Michigan’s soybeans were emerged 86 percent; and Ohio’s soybean planting was 96 percent complete.

In Kentucky, soybeans planted were at 87 percent, emerging at 70 percent, and in Tennessee 86 percent of soybeans were planted and 69 percent emerged, blooming at 2 percent.

The state’s cotton squaring was at 23 percent and tobacco transplanting, at 67 percent.

For the coming weeks, Clarke McGrath, on-farm research and extension coordinator at Iowa State University’s Iowa Soybean Research Center, said, “In our corn and beans, it will be a matter of scouting and tackling whatever problems show up (along with some timely rains and hopefully no excessive heat).

 

“In beans, pathogens like septoria brown spot, cercospora and frogeye come to mind since they are more common.

But there are others to watch for, so take your favorite scouting app or field guide with you when you scout.”