Corn

May 2012 Crop Update

Fri, 25 May 2012 21:01:00 +0000

The corn and soybean crops are off to a nice start in southern Minnesota and northern Iowa, says Kent Thiesse, former Extension educator and vice president of MinnStar Bank in Lake Crystal, MN. He notes that drought-like conditions have been overcome by some nice rainfall in May, which included some storms. Herbicide application has been a challenge due to wind and rain, Thiesse says.

Some Early Planted Corn Showing Signs of Seedling Blights

Thu, 24 May 2012 20:30:00 +0000

Source: Purdue University

Many eastern Corn Belt cornfields planted in mid-April when farmers got off to an early start have started to show symptoms of seedling blights, says Kiersten Wise, a Purdue Extension plant pathologist. Symptoms include uneven stands, stunted seedlings or reduced plant vigor. They can be caused by a number of scenarios, such as damage from cold temperatures, nutrient deficiencies, herbicide or anhydrous ammonia injury, wireworms or "wet feet," but also could be caused by seedling blights from fungi or fungal-like organisms.

Corn Rootworm Challenges

Thu, 24 May 2012 19:58:00 +0000

Managing corn rootworm is a challenge for farmers. However, using best management practices and understanding your fields is key to keeping the pest under control, says Luke Samuel, corn insect traits product development manager, Monsanto. Samuel suggests that farmers in high-pressure areas, especially, use rotation, dual modes of action or single modes plus insecticide to manage corn rootworm.

May 23 WAOB Weather Summary

Wed, 23 May 2012 15:24:00 +0000

Warm, dry weather prevailed for much of the week in the Midwest, allowing corn planting to near completion. In addition, soybean planting quickly advanced, passing the halfway mark early in the week. Toward week’s end, showers and thunderstorms boosted soil moisture in the upper Midwest. Farther west, scattered showers dotted the nation’s midsection – early in the week on the southern Plains and late in the week on the northern Plains.

Corn, Soybean Seedling Diseases Reported

Tue, 22 May 2012 20:11:00 +0000

By Alison Robertson, Gary Munkvold, Iowa State University

Several reports of losses in corn stand due to seedling disease are being reported from eastern Iowa. In the May 15 Crop Minute Roger Elmore reminds us that we have had a long corn planting season that began in mid-March and is still going in mid-May. Most of the seedling disease issues that are being reported are from fields that were planted April 23-27, just before we had a period of cold, wet conditions and soil temperatures dipped back down below 50° F.

May 21 Crop Progress: Corn 3/4 Emerged, Soybeans Over 2/3 Emerged

Mon, 21 May 2012 20:53:00 +0000

Soybean planting made big progress last week, jumping 20 points to 76% complete. The corn crop is nearly all planted, with 96% of the crop in the ground.

May 10 USDA Reports Bring Mixed Results

Tue, 15 May 2012 20:24:00 +0000

The USDA Crop Production and World Agricultural Supply and Demand Estimates (WADSE) reports released May 10 were regarded as bearish for the corn market and bullish for the soybean market in the coming months. Corn stocks are expected to double by the end of the 2012-2013 crop marketing year, while the ending soybean stocks are expected to be at the tightest level on record by the end of the 2012-2013 marketing year, which runs from Sept. 1, 2012 to Aug. 31, 2013.

CSD Blogs and Opinions

3 Things to Watch After May USDA Reports: Corn Yield, Soybean Acreage, Corn Feed/Residual Use

Tue, 15 May 2012 20:20:00 +0000

USDA reports frequently move markets and last week’s first supply/demand for the 2012 grain and oilseed crops was no exception. The day of the report, July corn closed down 20¢/bu. and cotton down 4¢/lb., while July beans closed 25¢/bu. higher and wheat 1¢ higher. Despite the immediate market reaction to the numbers, some aspects of the reports are debatable. Here are a few numbers Brock analysts expect to change.

CSD Blogs and Opinions

May 14 Crop Progress: Corn More Than Half Emerged; Soybeans Nearly Half Planted

Tue, 15 May 2012 19:07:00 +0000

U.S. farmers continue to be busy in the fields, making good progress getting the 2012 corn crop 87% planted and the soybeans 46% planted, according to the May 14 USDA Crop Progress report. This is 21 and 22 points, respectively, ahead of the five-year average.

7 Causes for Corn Emergence Problems

Tue, 15 May 2012 18:27:00 +0000

Source: Ohio State University

Corn planting is nearing completion in Ohio. Across the state and within localized areas, corn is at a range of growth stages. Some of the corn planted in April is showing up to 4 leaf collars but in later-planted fields, corn is still emerging. Troubleshooting emergence problems early is critical in identifying solutions and developing successful replant plans, if needed.