Pro Farmer Midwest Crop Tour Updates

Aug. 20 Recap

DuPont Pioneer Agronomy Report - Darren Goebel

Eastern Route - Day 1

Starts in Columbus, Ohio, and ends in Fishers, Ind.

• Scouting cornfields today in the Greenfield area (outside Indianapolis), our lowest estimate for corn is 28 bu./acre. However, we’re mostly seeing 120-140 bu. One soybean field we scouted should average 55-65 bu./acre.
• Princeton, Evansville and Vincennes have experienced some of the worst drought conditions in Indiana. Some farmers who are already harvesting corn are reporting 18-60 bu./acre. Many fields were planted on time but pollination occurred when temperatures soared to 100-105° F.
• We’re seeing fertility issues – potassium and nitrogen deficiencies. Causes: roots did not get established plus nutrients were no longer available in the soil.
• There is some bean leaf beetle feeding in soybeans and gray leaf spot showing up in some corn.
• Overall, in some areas soybeans may outyield corn.

 

DuPont Pioneer Agronomy Report - Jeff Mueller

Western Route - Day 1

Starts in Sioux Falls, S.D., and ends in Grand Island, Neb.

Crop conditions near Grand Island, Neb.:

Corn

·      Irrigated fields or areas with sufficient rain will have good yields.

·      Fields with limited irrigation or insufficient moisture have some tip back of kernels.

·      Dryland acres will likely yield 5-15 bu./acre.

Soybeans

Irrigated fields will likely yield 60-70 bu./acre.

Fields with limited irrigation will likely yield 30-45 bu./acre.

Dryland acres will yield very little.

 

Corn Maturity: early-planted corn is two to three days away from black layer, other cornfields are not yet at milk line.

Spider mites are a problem in corn, also seeing this insect pressure in soybeans.

Potential Concerns: Aflatoxin in corn. Fields with moisture stress or hail damage may have stalk quality problems and require harvesting a little earlier.

 

View photos and listen to audio reports from both agronomists.