In central Iowa the corn following soybeans is really looking good. Some folks are saying that early-planted corn will tassel shortly after July 4th.

This corn is waist high or taller now. The corn that was planted in early May still shows some unevenness but is improving, and the corn planted in mid-May continues to make good progress. Some continuous corn fields look pretty good and there are others that I don’t want to talk about. They look like, well – continuous corn during a rainy year. Those fields are uneven, have stunted areas, and still have some yellow corn. Even those fields are improving. Farmers tell me that it’s easy to see the compacted areas, and they’re right; just look across most fields and you will see the wheel tracks from the field cultivation done prior to planting. Two days ago I almost drove off the road looking at a field with very distinct wheel tracks running at an angle to the rows. The good news is that everything does seem to be improving. Corn roots have really gone down and plants are growing rapidly. Expect corn to continue to look better and tasselling to begin before long.

This past week I’ve been in many soybean fields taking samples for an ISU/ISA soybean disease survey. Most beans have 3 trifoliate leaves and the early varieties have started to bloom. The beans have really started to take off this past week. They’re growing rapidly and starting to develop branches. Although I did see phytopthora root rot in one field near Iowa Falls most fields have some minor root rot and not much else. Soybeans planted in high pH soils are showing iron chlorosis but they are beginning to green back up in many areas. I saw soybean cyst nematodes late last week in a field near Webster City and have seen them in fields in Marshall and Hardin County since. I have been looking hard for aphids in soybean fields but has not found any yet. There are potato leafhoppers or thrips feeding on the beans, but no aphids. A farmer from Gladbrook was with me while I was looking for aphids. He checked another field after I left and did find a single aphid so they may be coming to central Iowa. If the dry weather continues, I’d recommend you scout fields regularly for aphids. There is a tiny bit of bacterial blight starting in some fields. The key to identifying this disease is to watch for the yellow halo around the brown lesion. Bacterial blight commonly occurs in soybean fields from this time of year on.

The crops look good in central Iowa and are improving. Expect to see corn tassels and soybean flowers soon.

Leave a Comment

Name (required)

Email (will not be published) (required)

Website