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The Bulletin

Illinois Crop Update | June 12, 2026

Illinois Extension

Department of Crop Sciences
University of Illinois

June 12, 2026
Recommended citation format: Illinois Extension. "Illinois Crop Update | June 12, 2026." Department of Crop Sciences, University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign, June 12, 2026. Permalink

Kathryn Seebruck – Commercial Agriculture Educator

Stephenson County

Soil Conditions: Mildly Wet (soil is wetter than normal, local vegetation is healthy)

Although the entire month of May saw just under an inch of rain in total, the beginning of June has brought some relief with over two inches of rain deposited thus far with more on the way (based on data from the Water and Atmospheric Resources Monitoring Program Freeport station – your mileage may vary!).

Stephenson County is the home of the first reported population of Asian copperleaf in Illinois (https://extension.illinois.edu/news-releases/novel-illinois-weed-species-asian-copperleaf-identified-northern-illinois). Although originally thought to be a late emerging weed typically not noticed until after harvest, seedlings have already been emerging over the last couple of weeks. When scouting prior to making post emergence herbicide applications, keep an eye out for Asian copperleaf. For help with identification, see the attached photos as well as the Asian copperleaf fact sheet from Illinois Extension.

If you suspect you have Asian copperleaf, please contact Kathryn Seebruck at 815-986-4357 or seebruck@illinois.edu. Reports can also be made at https://www.eddmaps.org/.

Asian copperleaf seedling emerging from dark, moist soil showing two rounded cotyledons and the first pair of small green true leaves.
Figure 1: Asian copperleaf seedling with cotyledons and first true leaves – 11 June 2026, Stephenson County

 

Young Asian copperleaf plant growing in bare soil, with two oval cotyledons and a mix of emerging and fully expanded elongated true leaves with slightly toothed edges.
Figure 2: Asian copperleaf seedling with a full and partial set of true leaves – 11 June 2026, Stephenson County

 

Vegetative-stage Asian copperleaf plant in a field setting, displaying several larger green leaves with visible veins and serrated margins arranged around the central stem.
Figure 3: Vegetative Asian copperleaf plant – 11 June 2026, Stephenson County

 

Reagan Tibbs  – Commercial Agriculture Educator

Logan County

Soil Conditions: Moderately Wet (soil is damp, standing water may be present in low areas, water bodies are full)

After a week of high temperatures and little rainfall, Wednesday (6/10) storms brought over an inch of rain to many parts of the County. This will be followed by another round of storms on 6/11. Despite the heavy winds and tornado reports from the 6/10 storms, there does not appear to be much wind damage to crops in much of the County.

Corn leaves in a field showing white and yellow bleaching on leaf tips
Figure 4: Corn plant with Group 27 herbicide damage – 10 June 2026, Logan County.

 

Talon Becker – Commercial Agriculture Specialist

Vermilion County

Soil Conditions: Moderately Wet (soil is damp, standing water may be present in low areas, water bodies are full)

After a wet past four days in east central IL (2-3 inches so far in most areas), many fields in northern Vermilion County have standing water as of my survey on Thursday morning. For most fields, this is isolated to small, low-lying areas and field edges. But in pockets of that part of the county, there are fields with relatively large areas underwater, at times with the young crop fully submerged. With more rain in the forecast over the next few days, it may be some time before those areas fully drain. As for crop progress, most corn was somewhere in the V4-V8 range, and most soybeans were V1-V3. The five wheat fields I found were all in the dough stage of kernel development (Feekes 11.2), and some minimal lodging could be seen along field edges and in low areas in a couple of those fields.

Corn field with plants having about six fully-emerged leaves (V6) and saturated soils at field capacity. Side dress nitrogen tracks are visible between rows.
Figure 5: Relatively well-drained corn field with corn plants at about V6 growth stage – 11 June 2026, Vermilion County

 

Wheat field with plants nearing maturity and some plants falling over (lodging) following strong storms.
Figure 6: Wheat field at Feekes 11.2 growth stage with some plant lodging along field edge – 11 June 2026, Vermilion County

 

Several inches of standing water across parts of two soybean fields following heavy rains
Figure 7: Soybean fields with large areas of standing water – 11 June 2026, Vermilion County

 

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