jesse.grogan's blog

Planting is progressing quickly in drier conditions. Acres planted to corn in the last couple of weeks have increased from 1% a few weeks ago to more than 60 - 70% in some areas. Northern Indiana has more than a week of field activity, followed by central Indiana. Larger planter units with bulk system seed units and 24 rows or more are covering the acreage at a record pace. Growers in parts of southern Indiana started a day or two ago and are rained out again. Most rain in recent weeks has occurred along the I70 and south.

It is a wet and cool spring, quite a contrast from last year’s dry and warm weather. Some field work such as fertilizer spreading, ammonia application, weed control, and tillage did happen early. Frequent and heavy rains with some snow are delaying planting and field work in recent weeks. Our weather conditions are about the norm for this time of year. There is no call for alarm yet.  Planting early is great when it happens, especially if soils are in good condition. Corn root systems develop much better in warm and moist soils compared to cool, wet and compacted soils.

A dry and hot summer in 2012 revealed the pervasiveness of herbicide resistant weeds in our row crop systems. Weeds were more visible, especially in soybeans, as stressed crops were reduced in height. I noticed marestail, water hemp and lambsquarters in fields treated multiple times with glyphosate. These are not missed applications or weed escapes but herbicide resistant weeds. Marestail, or horse weed, was most often observed, as it is adapted to grow and develop in heat and drought stress, better than the crop.

Soybean yields are a bright spot in this year of heat and drought. Late summer rains made beans. Indiana average yield is estimated to be 44.0 bushels per acre, down from 45.5 bushels last year. Best yields are from north, central and eastern regions of the state. Lowest bean yields were in the western regions, from central to south. Kentucky soybean yield was 38 bushels per acre, mostly from double crop acres. Double crop yields were outstanding for fields with good stands. Stand establishment was a challenge for double crop acres from the Ohio River north into southern Indiana.

Harvest operations are complete except for a few fields in northern and eastern Indiana. Indiana average yield is estimated to be about 100 bushels per acre, down from 146 in 2011, an expected a result from the summer heat and drought. Southern regions were hardest hit. Average yield in southern Indiana is 75 bushels per acre. Kentucky state average yield is about 68 bushels per acre, 71 bushels less than 2011. Dry and hot conditions moved west and north in late July to early August.

Corn harvest is almost complete in mid-south, well on the way in southern Indiana-Kentucky and beginning in the north. Yields are as expected. Irrigated fields in SW Missouri and Arkansas are producing 180-220 bushels per acre. Farms in southern Indiana and Kentucky are in the 30-80 bushel per acre range. There is an occasional 120-150 bushel yield where a timely rain occurred in July. Yields will vary from 0-30 on high ground and perhaps 100 or more in lower fertile ground. North and east central Indiana was also affected by extreme drought this summer.

Significant rainfall has occurred in the last two weeks but not enough to relieve drought conditions throughout the region.  It is the first time rainfall has been over an inch in one event since early winter.  Some storms have been severe with heavy rain in localized spots.  Southwestern and east central Indiana missed these rains and remains in extreme drought.  Many fields of corn are near or in the dent stage with little chance for yield improvement.

Hot and dry weather has prevailed over the region and intensified drought conditions. Fifty-five Indiana counties are declared natural disaster areas, 36 counties are primary disaster areas and another 19 adjacent counties are designated eligible for natural disaster assistance. This is indication to the severity of drought conditions in Indiana and adjacent states in the south such as Kentucky and Arkansas. About 71% of Indiana’s corn crop is rated as poor to very poor. Many fields are barren or vary in yield potential from 30 to 80 bushels per acre.

Fungicide applications for improving yield responses are becoming a common practice across the Corn Belt. A goal for any grower is where and when to use fungicides for economic gain. Most profitable and consistent yield responses are in fields with a high risk of foliar disease. Dry weather and drought are reducing yield potential in conditions not favorable for disease development. This will reduce fungicide use this year.

Dry conditions increased in all geographical regions in recent weeks. Almost 90% of Indiana is in some form of abnormally dry or drought stress as of Saturday.  Moderate drought is occurring in north central and northeast Indiana. South central Indiana is abnormally dry. Moderate to severe drought stress is found in Southwest Indiana, western Kentucky across the boot heel of Missouri and into Northeast Arkansas. The only area with good moisture is south east Indiana along the Ohio River.