This afternoon, I took a drive through western Vermillion County. Like much of the state, still, conditions are very dry. There was large variability in growth stage between fields. Corn generally fell in the V6-V10 range, although some of the later planted fields are not quite there and appear to have significantly slowed growth. In general, the larger corn looked healthier with less water stress, indicating there is some plant available moisture at the deeper soil levels accessible to roots of these larger plants, but perhaps not by the corn closer to V6. Soybean fields also showed a good deal of variation in terms of overall growth (open trifoliates, nodes, branches, etc.), although most fields I stopped an walked into were showing at least some flowers, with several at R2. Although there was variation in the overall appearance of health in the soybean fields surveyed, there were flipped leaves and signs of water stress in all of them. I did come across one wheat field that looked to have good head size and minimal disease. Harvest for that field is likely just around the corner.

It was a warm, dry week in Franklin County, like much of the state. With this, soils in the better drained fields or parts of fields are getting dry enough that crop growth appears to have slowed. However, with relatively good soil moisture levels in the county heading into this week, plant stress is still minimal, particularly in the lower lying areas. That may change as we head into next week with little rain in the forecast and temps still in the 90s on some days. The wheat in the area is still looking good overall, and much of it has started to senesce.

Unlike much of the rest of the state, soils in Franklin County are relatively moist. Some of the lowest lying and/or poorest drained fields are being planted this week and will likely wrap up by early next week. There are small low spots in some earlier planted fields that will likely need to be replanted, but those areas are relatively few. Corn that has emerged is generally somewhere in the V2 to V4 stage, and emerged soybeans are generally closer to V1-V2. As we move into next week, the hot and dry conditions may start to cause some crop stress on the tops of hills and/or in areas with a shallow clay or fragipan layer. But these dry conditions will also allow for timely weed control operations, as germinating waterhemp is now commonly visible and at the optimal stage for control. Wheat in the area is still looking good, and despite the dry weather in the forecast, will likely have sufficient moisture available for good seed fill.

Most fields in the area are planted and emerged. For the most part, the crop looks to be off to a good start in most fields, with the exception a few low spots where water is or was recently standing following the rains earlier this month. With minimal rain and some warmer temperatures in the near-term forecast, farmers in the area will likely finish up any planting and replanting they have to do in the next week or so.

In my trip through South Central IL this past week, most fields I saw are still on the wet side. Most wheat fields are headed out and at least entering the anthesis (flowering) period. The wet soils kept the ground equipment out of many fields, but I did see at least a couple planes applying fungicide treatments.

I didn’t see much in the way of newly planted fields, and that which was planted in the last couple weeks has, for the most part, not yet emerged. That said, there were a few fields with emerged spring-planted crop. With more rain coming through this weekend, field operations will likely be delayed a bit longer in that region. But with a dry and relatively warm forecast next week, many are expecting to get back in the field.

Wheat stands in south-central Illinois look good overall. There is some unevenness in plant heights visible across fields, which is fairly normal for the relatively flatter fields in that area, for this stage of wheat growth, and for this time of year. But the stands look good in general. Most fields I walked through or observed from the road are at or near boot stage with some in the early heading stages. Farmers are also making progress with spring planting, although very little has emerged due to the cool temperatures over the past few weeks. Also, with somewhat wetter conditions relative to much of the rest of the state, field operations have not taken place in many low-lying and/or poorly drained fields. With a rainy week ahead, some of those fields may remain unplanted for a bit longer.

Although some rain fell in much of the area this past Sunday, total rainfall was low (0.14” at the Illinois Climate Network (ICN) station in Champaign) and conditions remain dry in Champaign County. ICN soil moisture data show levels below the plant wilting point at 2” and 4” depths, however, at least where these instruments are in place, plant available moisture is still present at 8” and deeper. The lack of soil moisture at the shallower depths is evident when driving around the countryside. Corn plants in drier areas of fields are showing rolled leaves even in the morning hours. By the afternoon, the signs of moisture stress are more prevalent. Most corn plants are somewhere in the V5-V8 stages, and at that size, have at least some roots that are deep enough to reach the soil moisture still available. Soybeans may be struggling a bit more at this point, and their growth seems to have slowed in most fields. The plants still look relatively healthy, and the first flowers are starting to appear. But with little rain in the extended forecast, these early flowers are unlikely to contribute much to final pod counts.