Harvest has started across most of Southern Illinois. Yields are highly variable.

Corn yield reports running from 130 to 240. High infield variability is also reported and its “normal” to hear of 175 bu yield swings based on soil type. Higher yields are being reported in isolated spots that got timely rain with lower yields also being in isolated spots of no rain. Most report so far that they are at or near their APH on yield. I suspect to see those number drop a bit as harvest moves into the mid May planting date fields. Moisture is running 22-34% out of the field and also in the same field!

Bean yields are again highly variable with yields in the mid 40s to 70 bushel. Again high infield variability is being reported with as much as 50 bu yield swings between soil types.

The soil is to dry and hard for any soil sampling at this point.

The corn and soybean crop in northeast Champaign County is continuing to progress towards maturity. Average temperatures have started to decline, but many fields of corn and soybean are either at, or more commonly, approaching physiological maturity. Some later season soybeans are still very green across their canopy, but those fields are generally at or very near R6 (full seed). Approximately 10% of soybean fields I saw in my tour through that portion of the county were in the later stages of R7 (beginning maturity), while most were at R6 (full seed) and early R7. A similar proportion, although probably a bit lower than 10%, of corn fields appeared to be at R6 (physiological maturity/black layer) based on field checks and a windshield survey.

Woodford County, IL is currently not on the drought monitor for the week. Most of the rest of Central IL is abnormally dry.
Combines are rolling about an hour south of here. Some fields gave up on life as opposed to maturing.

Corn is at R5 (dent) and most soy is at R6 (full seed), fields that still have green tissue are benefitting from recent rainfall. Areas that experienced drought conditions after pollination and during grain fill can expect corn kernel abortion near the ear tip and smaller and lighter kernels. This would be a good year to check stalk strength among hybrids and plan field harvest order accordingly. Some encouragement to hand-pull surviving Waterhemp in fields before they produce viable seed. Last week at the Farm Progress Show Dr. Aaron Hager’s team demonstrated Waterhemp samples collected from populations that were resistant to six herbicide modes of action. This includes Group 4, the growth regulators which include 2,4-D and dicamba. It has been an uneventful insect pest year to date; however, Soybean aphids were recently collected in Northeast Illinois by the Suction Trap Network https://suctiontrapnetwork.org/ and Stink bugs are easily found in soy fields I have visited.

Here in my 3 county area (DeWitt, Macon & Piatt), soybeans are in either R7 – Beginning Maturity or R8 – Full Maturity stage. All corn fields are in the Dent or R5 stage with many fields in the R6 – Physiological Maturity. A few farmers have started to harvest mature early corn varieties. Noting grasshopper feeding damage on field edges (see photo). Areas of local fields where corn was stressed during grain fill are showing signs of stalk quality issues and lodging. It might be worth your time to check stalk quality in corn fields to prevent lodging losses.

After the recent heat, it appears that most crops have turned quickly over night. Early April planted corn is almost to black layer and early April plants soybeans are turning. Harvest will be here soon. Be sure to check corn stalk quality to know which fields to harvest first.

I wish I could take the stance “If don’t have something nice to say, don’t say anything at all.” This crop is loosing its luster quickly. Insect feeding and soybean vein necrosis virus is severely limiting the plant’s ability to finish. Compound that with abnormally dry soil conditions and it’s just a bad combination. Corn and beans are going to limp across the finish line. That checkered flag will come soon than we expect when the heat returns this weekend.

Both corn and soy crops in western Champaign County are getting closer to maturity, as leaf senescence has started in several fields in that area. Corn fields I surveyed were all at mid to late R5 (dent) stages. Yields look to be somewhat variable, with a few fields having some consistently large ears and minimal tipback, while others were more affected by the droughty conditions of the season and/or weed pressure issues and will probably result in yields slightly below an expected trendline average for the county. Several soybean fields are also starting to show leaf senescence, with most at R6 (full seed) and some fields with a few plants edging into R7 (beginning maturity).

This area has not seen rain in over two weeks and is not forecasted again until 9/6. Disease presence is still low as a result. The dry conditions were exacerbated by high temperatures (upwards of 97 degrees F) last week, which we will see again this weekend. Corn is dented (R5), and soybeans are at R6. Many corn ears exhibit tip back, likely due to dry conditions around pollination. Driving around, I have observed many fields with significant weed pressure, which hopefully serve as a reminder for increased diligence on weed control next season.

Crops in McLean and Woodford County faired better in last week’s heat than other areas. Moisture would be helpful to get through next week’s return of heat.

Crops in areas with less moisture haven’t matured as much as give up on life after the heat. Shanks have weakened, dropping ears, and ceasing grain fill. Black layers showed up in fields unexpectedly.