•July 27, 2016•

By Tyler Harvey
Douglas-Moultrie Farm Bureau Manager

As of Sunday, July 18, the National Agricultural Statistics Service (NASS) has Illinois corn condition rated at 58% good and 22% excellent. Corn silking is at 77% which is above the five-year average of 68%.

Soybean conditions include 59% good and 17% excellent. Soybeans are also ahead of the five-year average for blooming at 60% for 2016 compared to 54% for the five-year average. NASS comes out with a weekly updated crop report every Monday at 3 p.m.

Driving between Tuscola and Sullivan and looking at various crops, the majority of corn and soybeans seems to still be doing well for this time of year. In the past weeks, there has been reports of some greensnap in cornfields from wind damage, especially to the south of us. Greensnap happens prior to tasseling, when the corn is rapidly growing. Plants affected by greensnap can break anywhere along the stalk. Often, plants will break at the node just below the primary ear or below the ear in the internode. Broken plants may still be able to produce a nubbin, which is a small nonproductive ear. With the continued heat this month, I have had multiple questions on how this can affect the corn crop. Corn is a very tough crop but, as most of us, does not like extreme heat. If you see corn leaves rolling up, the reason for this is the plant is trying to protect itself from excessive loss of water. However, with the amounts of rain we have received lately most corn leaves have unrolled. While the moisture we have received is great for the crop, it is also conducive to various leaf diseases that can harm the leaves above the ear on the stalk. This in turn can reduce the yields of the plant.      Login or Subscribe to read the rest of this story.