A week of Recovery Helps Iowa Crops
Wallaces Farmer recently reported that a week of drier weather following the July 4 holiday was welcome across the state of Iowa after an abnormally wet June. Farmers were finally able to apply herbicides in soybean fields and harvest their second cutting of alfalfa. Some farmers were even able to replant areas of fields affected by flooding.
The information shared came from The Iowa Crops and Weather Report released July 12 by the Iowa Office of USDA’s National Ag Statistics Service providing the latest update on Iowa’s 2010 corn and soybean crops. The report stated in areas not affected by flooding, the corn looks good, but despite the week of drier weather and sunshine, crop conditions still vary greatly from field to field. Excess moisture and possible nitrogen deficiency have been attributed to the inconsistent growth.
Watch for symptoms of corn leaf diseases
Mark Licht, field specialist with ISU Extension says corn diseases are starting to show up. He’s seen some eyespot and grey leaf spot, and also heard of Goss’s wilt showing up in some fields.
Licht recommends considering the following points when making a decision regarding fungicide applications (click here for Monday’s post on foliar fungicide application).
1. How susceptible/tolerant to disease is the hybrid?
2. Are weather conditions conducive for disease pathogens?
3. What past field management has occurred; i.e. tillage, crop rotation?
4. Are foliar disease symptoms present in the lower canopy?
5. Do you expect enough yield response to pay for the application costs?
What about soybean diseases? Licht says soybean diseases are currently limited to Septoria brown spot in the lower canopy and bacterial blight in the upper canopy of soybean plants. “Fungicide applications on soybeans should not be applied until R3 (beginning pod set) for best results,” Lict advises.
Click here for the full article.
Enter Latham’s Tall Corn Contest to Win!
Also, congratulations to last week’s Tall Corn Contest winner, Chelsea Ewen! Thanks so much to everyone who participated.
Enter this week’s Tall Corn Contest by guessing the height of the corn in Uncle Jim’s corn in the above photo. Simply visit www.facebook.com/LathamSeeds and enter your guess in the comments below the photo! For a list of contest rules, click here.
