From The Rows | Aug. 24, 2022 — Mark Bernard (East)
Day three of the 2022 Pro Farmer Crop Tour saw our portion of the split route dropping down south of Bloomington IL 8 – 10 miles then essentially heading due west about 40 miles and back straight north across the Illinois River towards Galesburg. We were heading west through McLean, Logan, and Mason Counties then north through Fulton and Knox. We saw a variety of crops being raised in addition to the corn and soybeans we were sampling, including canning pumpkins, popcorn and cole crops. Of particular interest was the harvest of seed corn already taking place just south of Bloomington in McLean Co. It won’t be long folks.
The corn crop we saw started off resembling some of the IL crops of old we sampled when I first started coming on the Tour many moons ago. After a first sample of 187 bu./acre in McLean Co., we were in striking distance or exceeded 200 bu./acre on five out of the next seven samples we pulled. Then numbers faded. The low we pulled was a 146 bu./acre sample in Knox Co. Oddly enough the high was the next sample we pulled, also in Knox Co. at 217 bu./acre. Our average for the route was 193 bu./acre. As far as maturity, the irrigated field we sampled in Mason Co. was half milk line already, around two weeks until physiological maturity. Several other samples had corn with the milk line starting to show. On this route one could conclude that the corn is moving toward harvest very quickly.
One potential concern I had was the high ear placement on several of the fields we sampled. Couple this with the large ear size from lower-than-expected ear counts and it gives wind plenty of leverage to cause lodging. I noticed areas of those fields today where wind had already taken its toll. Some of these same fields are also extremely dry. Without some rain to finish along with some hot temps pushing the crop too hard, the stalks could be cannibalized and standability issues could arise. Based on the corn we sampled on this route and comments from other scouts, it gave the appearance of a solid IL corn crop, but one that will likely fall short of the early August expectations.
The soybean crop on our route was more impressive and very steady. Pod counts ranged from a high of 1915 in Fulton Co. to a low of 1045 in Mason Co. Our average for today’s 3 x 3 bean pod counts ended up at 1398, almost 150 pods higher the statewide average we released at this evening’s meeting. The soybeans on this route however will need some timely rain for them to reach the potential they had in today’s sampling. They’ll also need warm temperatures but not excessively so or there will be additional pod abortion, lack of seed fill in some pods or a decrease in soybean size.
Fortunately there was very little in the way of disease pressure. The lone sample we pulled from Logan Co. exhibited some SDS and cercospora. That was it. There were a few Japanese beetles but not enough to cause economic injury. Some lodging helped along by the wind was apparent although today’s modern soybean heads should be easily to pick the crop up easily. Like the corn, the soybeans on this route were moving along rapidly towards maturity.
Another 3rd day out in the books on the Eastern leg of the Pro Farmer Crop Tour. Time for some shuteye before we head through IA tomorrow on our destination in Rochester MN.
