Illinois Crop Update – September 13, 2024
Russ Higgins – Commercial Agriculture Educator
Grundy County
Soil Conditions: Severely Dry (soil is very dry, water bodies are very low, vegetation is stressed)
The 2024 growing season is ending on the dry side in northeast Illinois. Aerial cover crop seed application has started, but limited harvest activity has taken place in the region. I continue to be surprised at the difference in maturity and color of crops across and within fields. From plants ready to harvest, to those mostly green from top to bottom. This was very apparent at the University of Illinois Soybean Variety Testing plot near DeKalb. Late season disease symptoms showing up in soy include SDS (to be confirmed by the Plant Clinic). Looking at corn ears, we see smaller kernels in areas affected by late season drought; the impact on final yield will be determined soon at harvest.
Figure 1: Corn kernel size
Figure 2: SDS in Soy
Figure 3: Green and mature Soy
Reagan Tibbs – Commercial Agriculture Educator
Logan County
Soil Conditions: Near Normal
Some producers across Logan, Menard, and Sangamon counties have begun harvesting their crops. So far, the harvest has been predominantly of the earlier-planted corn, with earlier-planted soybeans not far behind. A majority of the corn and soybeans across the area still need some time to dry out before harvest but expect more producers starting in the next couple of weeks.
Doug Gucker – Local Food Systems and Small Farms Educator
Dewitt, Macon, and Piatt County
Soil Conditions: Mildly Dry (soil is drier than normal, plant growth may have slowed)
Corn is being harvested in my area, since a large wet milling corn processor announced no discounts for wet corn, only shrinkage to be applied. The only soybeans not turning yellow and reaching maturity are the double-crop fields.
Talon Becker – Commercial Agriculture Specialist
Douglas County
Soil Conditions: Mildly Dry (soil is drier than normal, plant growth may have slowed)
Harvest is not far off for some of the early-planted fields in Douglas County, but with the extended planting season, there are still plenty of green fields as well in the county. All corn fields surveyed were at least at R5 (dent) with 50% milk line, and several were just reaching R6 (black layer) or within a few days of it. Soybean fields generally ranged from late R6 (full seed) through R7 (beginning maturity), and I spotted a couple fields within a couple more warm days of R8 (full maturity).
Figure 4: Soybean fields nearing maturity; late R6 (full seed) on the right, late R7 (beginning maturity) on the left
Dane Hunter – Commercial Agricultural Specialist
Marion County
Soil Conditions: Mildly Dry (soil is drier than normal, plant growth may have slowed)
Corn is solidly into dent(R5) but later planted fields still have milky kernels. First crop beans are still filling out pods, or aborting at the uppermost nodes due to the consistently dry weather. Just in the past week, some fields have started yellowing. Double crop beans are also in R6, and could benefit from rain if this tropical storm does blow up from the Gulf.