The nation’s corn crop is nearly planted and the early outlook for production is quite favorable, despite some cool, wet conditions during the last two weeks in parts of the Corn Belt.

Early emerging corn seedlings suffered some stress during the first week of May that caused plants to turn purple, but those symptoms shouldn’t last long, says Roger Elmore, Iowa State University (ISU) Extension agronomist.

“With the sun that we’ve just had, the corn will snap out of it fast,” he says. “Overall, this has been a really good year for getting corn planted. By now, I would guess that nearly all the state’s corn with the exception of northeastern Iowa is planted.”

The most recent National Agricultural Statistics Service (NASS) National Agricultural Summary reported 92% of the Iowa corn crop planted, with 42% already emerged by May 14. The same report showed 85% of the nation’s corn crop planted, 8% ahead of the five year average. Only Minnesota, North Dakota and Tennessee showed corn planting to be lagging, but just slightly behind normal.

To date, high winds have interfered with some herbicide and insecticide applications, black cutworms have caused damage to some fields and sidewall compaction has occurred in areas where farmers have planted in wet soils, notes Elmore. Otherwise, the crop is currently in very good shape, he says.

For more information about the nation’s corn crop, visit the following USDA Web link

For more information about what causes purple corn, visit the following ISU Web link

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