Agronomic Update – 08/27/10        

DSM COMMENTS:
CENTRAL IL:  Dave Love (Petersburg, IL –Menard Co.)  Here in central ILL., harvest will begin very soon.  105 day maturity corn planted in early April is below 20% and is ready.  The stalk issue on some of these varieties is bad and we need to check the stalks as Jeff suggested.  Soybeans are still a few weeks away but a yellow cast is showing up on some of the earlier beans.  If you need wheat seed for this fall you had better speak up because supply is limited.  As harvest approaches safety is always a concern, be cautious and be safe.

SOUTHWEST CENTRAL IL:  Dave Dimmick (Murrayville, IL – Morgan Co.)  A few combines rolling.  The driest I’ve heard is 18%.  Most spot checks are still in the 24% plus.  The SDS situation seems to be decreasing in severity.  It did it last year too.  Go figure.  I’ve been getting some good human temperatures this week. 

TAMMY’s 2 Sense –  The picture to the left is of a Stone Seed Group dealer, Gary Gaskill, standing in a field of RR2Y® soybeans; on the right shows the number of soybeans in the pods from the plants in this same field. 

Join us for a field day to learn more!

As you can see by the below, we have another week of events.  We would like to invite you to attend any of our Field Days and Plot Tours that fit your schedule and are in an area near you.  For your convenience I have listed below the events coming up in the next few days.

Wednesday, September 1st
Jeremy Puetz, Fowler Indiana dealer of Scott Good will be having a customer appreciation and product information meeting.  Location:  Puetz Fowler, IN shop - 5p.m. with meal provided.  For more information please contact Scott Good at 815-383-6614

Thursday, September 2nd
Keith Fluegel Field Day - Dale Luster; Noon - 2 PM Indoor field day and Customer Appreciation with dinner at Jack's Restaurant in LeRoy.  For more information or to attend this meeting, please contact Dale Luster 309-531-7134.

Garrett Maschhoff & Bob Going Field Day - Sept 2nd starting at 6 p.m. with tour @ Bob Going's plot and 7:30 p.m. meal provided at the Eagle Nest in Addieville, IL.  For more information contact Dennis Opperman 217-493-2920.

Tuesday, September 7th
Geneseo Location Field Day/Plot Tour – 10:00 a.m. with lunch provided by Knox Co. Cattleman Assoc.  Tour located north of Geneseo, east off Rte. 82 onto 2550 Ave.  For more information contact the Geneseo office at 309-944-5131.

Plot Tour Photos

Tony has a few words to say to the crowd at Larry Troyer’s Field Day!  

Dave Love & Greg Wolf talk Agronomics on corn!

Picture from Jim Woodall at Randolph Ag Plot Day.

A few words from our Stone Seed Group Agronomists,
Greg Wolf, Geneseo, IL
Rather than focusing on a specific disease this time, here are some observations:

---Sudden Death Syndrome (SDS) is turning into “drawn out and prolonged” syndrome, as this disease is increasing in severity across many fields in northern Illinois.  It is allowing us to make observations about drainage patterns in fields, compacted areas, planting dates, varietal responses, and to see how these have all influenced the severity of this year’s SDS.

---The topic of Goss’ Wilt disease(and confusing it with anthracnose) comes up along the I-39 corridor.  This has been a relatively isolated problem, but it is significant when it comes to spraying fungicide; it’ll work for anthracnose(a fungus), but won’t touch Goss’ Wilt (a bacteria).

---Corn varieties in the top couple tiers of counties in Northern Illinois are having “their year”.  There will be some amazing yields up there on some shorter maturity hybrids.

 Jeff Brown, Sidell, IL.
Anna Mikel, Customer Service Representative and Jeff Brown, Field Agronomist collected these ears in consecutive order from our Stone Seed Group plot at Farina, Illinois.  We held a field day at this location with Stone Seed Group Dealer Brian Gehle and his customers this past Thursday.  This was undeniably the most Corn Earworm (CEW) pressure we have seen this year with nearly 100% infestation.  The trait effectiveness for corn earworm found in the Genuity™ VT3Pro™ was phenomenal.  Corn Earworm trait protection is also found in all Genuity™ SmartStax™ and Genuity™ VT2Pro™ products. 

 Note there is some Corn Earworm damage on the Genuity™ VT3Pro™ but not nearly to the extent of the comparison.  Remember the pest has to feed on a few kernels containing the Bt toxin in order to be controlled.  Corn Earworm is still feeding on these ears as can be seen on the bottom right ear…a corn earworm has its head buried in a kernel.

Click on image to the right to see a bigger view.

 

 

STALK INTEGRITY ISSUES

Farmers that have begun harvest across Illinois are seeing a wide variety of corn yields in fields and understandably, they want answers. 

Stalk Health Issues in Stressed Corn
Many growers recognize that individual fields or areas within fields have been struggling against multiple stresses throughout the season.  Problems include COMPACTION from last fall or this spring, water-logged or ponded soils, nitrogen deficiency as a result of the former two, and now excessively hot temperatures (+90 degree) and in some areas dry soil conditions in August. 

Fields or areas within fields that have suffered one or more of these stresses this season have been stressed even further during the grain filling period.  As a result, there will be big yield swings in fields based on soil type, planting dates and rainfall patterns.  There are two things a corn plant will do at all costs….first, put on an ear; secondly, fill the ear…even at the plant’s own expense.  As the photosynthetic factory tries to keep up with the physiological demands of the developing ears under adverse conditions, plants will resort to cannibalizing stored carbohydrate reserves from the lower stalk tissue and remobilizing those reserves to the developing ears. 

This process will cause an overall deterioration of lower stalk integrity and strength.  More importantly, as these reserves are sucked out of stalks, resistance to stalk rot pathogens such as Anthracnose Stalk Rot also decreases.  The bottom line is stalks become very weak. 

How to check plants?  The simplest technique is to push stalks away from you as you walk down rows of corn.  Teach yourselves the following technique!

1.  Push the plant tops approximately 30 degrees from vertical.  If plants fail to snap back to vertical, the stalk has been compromised and an earlier harvest should be considered.
2. Pinch or squeeze the plants at one of the lowest internodes above the brace roots (try to pinch the same node on each plant checked).  If stalks crush easily by hand, again, plan on harvesting as soon as possible. 

 

We will see differences in hybrids and trait packages under these stresses such as comparing a VT3 – large ear (cannibalized stalk) vs. a refuge RR – poor ear (good stalk).   The thought process is the VT3 overcame more adversity than the RR early on and produced a larger ear.  In these highly stressed areas, refuge hybrids may take a serious hit. 

In summary:  This crop has turned very quickly, and with the shallow roots, shortages of N, intense heat during grain fill, and a large kernel demand for carbohydrates that may be coming from stalks, harvest may need to occur in fields sooner than planned to avoid excessive lodging.

Should you have any questions, please contact your DSM or the Agronomy Team.  Thanks and be safe out there!

 

Click Here to view the Agronomic Spotlight on Stalk Health Issues in Stressed Corn

 

 

 

 

Illinois Crop Progress Percents as of August 23, 2010

1/ Less than one percent.

Field Focus Contributors:
Dave Love, CCA                    (M)217-652-9534
Greg Wolf , CCA                   (M)309-314-5001
Jeff Brown, CCA                    (M)217-714-6006

Agronomic Update – 08/20/10        

DSM COMMENTS:
NORTHERN IL:  Kevin Sanderson (Creston, IL – DeKalb Co.)  Weather has cooled somewhat but test weight on corn may be less than expected, too many hot nights in a row may have caused some problems...tip back of 1 1/2 inches common everywhere...to the south is ear worm and to the north is western bean cut worm...all said we have an excellent corn crop in Northern Illinois...most is dent to dough stage...Sudden Death has really unfolded in ALL beans...may drop 5 bu. on bean yields...going to be very early corn harvest for N. Illinois.

CENTRAL IL:  Dale Luster (Downs, IL – McLean Co.)   Not much has changed here in central Illinois.  We received 1 ½” of rain last week which should really help.  The beans are looking good; however the corn on corn is a different story with some areas 30-40 bu. acre less, compared to rotated.  Most guys I see can tell me what they thought they did wrong.  I’ve received good reception on some cold calls, and many new people told me they would buy.  Looks promising!

SOUTH CENTRAL IL:  Aaron Miller (Brownstown, IL – Fayette Co.)  The surrounding area received a much needed rain Friday night, with most of the area receiving between 1.5-2 inches. There have been reports of growers shelling corn south of Greenville. There has been a significant amount of silage cut in the surrounding areas, and what hasn't been cut guys say they plan to cut next week. Most of the early beans are R5+, with some starting to turn. The amount of pods on the RR2's I have been walking are very promising. The yield advantage is for sure toward the RR2's over the RR1's.

SOUTHWEST CENTRAL IL:  Dave Dimmick (Murrayville, IL – Morgan Co.)  Last week I flew out to Williamsburg VA for my father’s WW II 83rd ID reunion.  We flew from Bloomington to Atlanta to make connections.  This is the first time to see the holes, spots and blotches in 90% of the fields we flew over.  Things were still green.  On our return a week later I was shocked to see how the corn crop had yellowed off.  I haven’t heard of any harvesting going on but the way this crop “matured” leaves me to believe test weights may be affected.  The SE US has had dry to drought conditions.  Personally I don’t feel we will have the US corn crop we had last year.  Corn harvest here could commence at any time.  Its highway time again.  Stay safe! 

TAMMY’s 2 Sense –  As you can see by the below, we have another week full of events .  We would like to invite you to attend any of our Field Days and Plot Tours that fit your schedule and are in an area near you.  For your convenience I have listed below the events coming up the week of 8/23/10.

Monday, August 23rd
CORNEGLIO FIELD DAY - Description of Event: TOUR OF CORN PLOT, Location of Event: NORTH MAIN, FARMER CITY, for more information, please contact Dale Luster @ 309-378-3881.

Tuesday, August 24th
2010 Genuity Showcase Tour - Monsanto Universal Training Site; Mt Vernon, IL
If you are available and would like to attend this event, please contact your local DSM or one of the following:  Jeff Brown – 217-714-6006, Dave Love – 217-652-9434 or Greg Wolf – 309-314-5001 or 309-944-5131.  Look forward to seeing you there!

Wednesday, August 25th
Dimmick Customer Meeting 8:00 am - Three Star Family Restaurant, Jacksonville, Illinois.  If you are interested in attending, please contact Dave Dimmick @ 217-473-9524.

Field Day at Tom Braid Farm - address is 7800 E. 600 North Rd. McLean, IL 61754. The event will begin at 5:00 PM with a meal following plot tour.  For more information or to attend this event, please contact Russ Terry @ 309-825-0430.

Larry Troyer Plot Tour – Hudson, IL  17671 E. 2300 North Rd., Hudson, IL  61748.  Plot Tour will begin at 6:00 p.m., if you are interested in attending this event, please contact Tony Strom @ 309-781-7580.

Thursday, August 26th
Moweaqua Field Day.  Tour begins at 5pm with dinner following the tour.  For more information to attend please contact our Moweaqua office @ 217-768-4513.

Gehle Field Day at the Farina, IL location beginning at 5pm. Lots to see and talk about at this location which also includes 8 of our newest corn genetics and 8 soybean genetics. Special guest will be Tech Dev Representative, Randy McElroy who will briefly discuss his studies at the site.  To attend this event and more information, contact Neil Gray @ 217-343-7131.

Friday, August 27th
RANDOLPH AG FIELD DAY - Description of Event: CORN AND BEAN PLOT TOUR. Beginning at 11:00 a.m. to 2:00 p.m., location of event:  Randolph Ag, 650 N. 1/2 East of RTE 51.  For more information on this event, please contact Dale Luster @ 309-531-7134.

J & J Farms Plot Tour- Mark & Matt Johnson Farm, 3 ½ mi. West of Galva on Route 34.  Tour will begin at noon, lunch will be provided by the Knox County Cattleman’s Assoc.  For more information on this event, please contact Tony Strom at 309-781-7580.

Plot Tour Photos

Richard Brenneman showing a five bean pod from 2R3701 in Bob Paine’s Plot.

Beautiful weather at Bob Paine’s Plot Tour.

Keith’s Swanson’s Plot Tour was the happening place in Victoria, IL.

The corn was looking great at Keith Swanson’s plot tour.

A few words from our Stone Seed Group Agronomists,
Greg Wolf, Geneseo, IL

     As we head down the homestretch toward harvest and make observations about the crops, here are a couple of other observations you may want to make besides the usual kernel fill, size of ear, and leaf diseases.

Corn
---begin checking your stalks for rot; since corn has struggled all year with root and nitrogen issues, with limited nutrients going to the ear, there isn’t much left this year to feed the stalks.

---check your ears for corn earworm damage.  Remember, 3 damage kernels/ear =1 bushel in yield.  Planting Smart Stax™ varieties next year should be in the action plan for this.

Soybeans
---observe the height from the ground of the lowest pods.  If they’re too low to combine, you’ll want to consider upping your population in the future.  If they start too high with too much internode space from the ground to the first pods, you’ve probably got room to lower your populations.

---Pull up a few plants and check the roots.  Although most of the nodules are probably dead (not pink inside), you can observe how nodulation progressed this year; are they sparse or in good supply?  As long as the roots are pulled out, check for soybean cysts. At this stage of the life cycle they may be beige, lemon-colored, or light brown.

    Make your observations and correlate these to what you’ll observe in the combine shortly.

Illinois Crop Progress Percents as of August 16, 2010

1/ Less than one percent.

Field Focus Contributors:
Dave Love, CCA                    (M)217-652-9534
Greg Wolf , CCA                   (M)309-314-5001
Jeff Brown, CCA                    (M)217-714-6006

Agronomic Update – 08/13/10        

Pleasant Plains, IL: Andy Stone I’m hearing a lot of comments that folks are getting started, so thought I’d take a trip out to the Field of 6N52vt3 that I’ve shown you before. It’s amazing what a month will do. As you can see on the moisture tester we are at 29% today. Being 96 degrees I was disinclined to walk out too far so it’s probably not totally representive.
My point of writing this is to caution all that the high heat and advanced dry down genetics are causing this Corn crop to dry far faster than many suspect. I know of some fields around Sullivan being harvested as I write this at 27%. It time to be making those final Hybrid evaluations and to make sure the Combines are tuned up and ready.
Obviously with the planting season and excess moisture we will have  lots of field variability so we will want to evaluate the total before Harvest decisions are made. Also keep an eye out for the difference in Ear Worm control in our new Smart Stax hybrids, if you have them you will be impressed!.
The Soybean crop continues to look great but it is probably time for that “State fair” rain that always seems to add Bushels. We are seeing some isolated cases of BSR and SDS so it’s great a practice to continue scouting. I think as you look at the new GenRR2y’s you will be impressed. I’ve found bunches of 4 bean pods and my DSM’s report some with 5 ( I can’t find mushrooms either). A bit more rain and I think we will have an awesome Bean crop.
As we get close to Harvest, Please, Please use caution when doing the final sweep’s on bins and getting equipment out for the first time. Accidents are never something that we plan on but they can happen when we have a moments inattention. Be Safe and have a tremendous Harvest.

Andy Stone

DSM COMMENTS:
CENTRAL IL:  Dale Luster (Downs, IL – McLean Co.)   We finally received a decent rain (.6”); we’ll take it.  A large part of my area is seeing really fired corn now on the high spots; the bad spots are completely brown, dead, and the corn is very far along.  A lot of corn will be black layered in another 2-3 weeks or less with high heat.  I can not believe how far along this corn is!  See for yourself and join me for the following Field Days/Plot Tours:  Bob Paine – Wednesday, August 18th at 5:30 p.m., a chicken dinner will be served; Rick Corneglio – Monday, August 23rd 11:00 a.m. – 2:00 p.m., lunch will be served along with the tour, this plot is near Farmer City; Randolph Ag and Coop – Friday, August 27th 11:00 a.m. – 2:00 p.m. lunch will be served by Longhorn Smoke house, this plot will be on Rte 51 just a few miles south of Bloomington.  Hope you can join us for one of the tours!

NORH CENTRAL IL:  Tony Strom (Victoria, IL – Knox Co.)  We received from 1 to 4 inches of rain this past week in Knox, Warren, and Stark counties. This will really help out the soybeans. Sudden Death Syndrome (SDS) is showing up in some soybean fields, especially in the early planted and less tolerant varieties.  Most of the corn is dented a month ahead compared to last year.  Overall, crops are looking good without a lot of disease pressure at this time although with extreme heat and humidity corn leaves stay wet longer in the mornings which can increase disease development.  Yield checks have been all over the board depending on what part of the field you are in.  Keith Swanson’s plot tour at Victoria, IL will be Thursday, August 19th at 6 p.m., located a 1/2 mile south on County 15.  Please stop by for a rib-eye steak.  Have a good week!

TAMMY’s 2 Sense –  As I mentioned in the 8.06.10 Field Focus, we would like to invite you to attend any of our Field Days and Plot Tours that fit your schedule and are in an area near you.  For your convenience I have listed below the events coming up next week.

Wednesday, August 18th
Curt Clapper Plot Day – Tuscola, IL, beginning at 5 p.m. located near Tuscola, IL.  For more information, please contact Dennis Opperman @ 217-493-2920

PAINE Field Day - Description of Event: large corn, soybean tour. Location of Event: 2 1/2 miles e. of I-155, Town Line Rd. Bob Paine plot tour-evening event supper provided!! Good Fried Chicken at 5:30 pm.  For more information please contact Dale Luster @ 309-531-7134

Thursday, August 19th
FSB plot Pittsfield Aug. 19th 5:30 PM for more information contact Dave Dimmick @ 217-473-9524

University of Illinois Agronomy Day ~ Aug 19th Located in the Crop Science Research and Education Center for more information on this event, please contact Jeff Brown @ 217-714-6006, Greg Wolf @ 309-314-5001 or Dave Love @ 217-652-9434

Rick and Mark Eskew Field Day: Begins at 5pm for plot tour and meal at 6pm. This is a large corn and soybean plot, a lot to see including populations and seed treatments. Located at Mark Eskew's Home; between Ashmore and Kansas, IL for more information, please contact Tucker Beckmier @ 217-840-4207.

KAS Farms Plot Tour at Keith Swanson’s Farm, located ¼ mi. S of Victoria on Cty. Rd. 15.  Plot Tour begins at 6:00 p.m.  For more information please contact Tony Strom @ 309-781-7580.   

We hope you will be able to join us for one of the above tours!  Watch for more details on upcoming plot tours later in the month.

A few words from our Stone Seed Group Agronomists,
Greg Wolf, Geneseo, IL

Almost as certain as death and taxes, this is always the time of year when we see areas of fields with yellow beans.  It is important to identify what the problem is, especially since some of these issues can be minimized with proper variety selection and timing of planting.

 What are you seeing?  Is it Sudden Death Syndrome or Brown Stem Rot?  Do you see any soybean cysts on the roots?  Is it Charcoal Rot or some late season Phytophthora?  Is it some issues with potash unavailability or is it yellow flash from a late Roundup application?  Proper I.D. now makes for easier planning the next time the field is in beans.
    
Want to read up on Sudden Death Syndrome?  Here’s an Agronomic Alert article from Monsanto Tech Development.

Not sure what charcoal rot looks like?  Here are some pictures from the most recent Univ. of Illinois Pest Mgt. newsletter.

Wilted soybean plants affected by charcoal rot.

Dark specks (microsclerotia) can be observed inside the lower stems
of soybean plants affected by charcoal rot.

Illinois Crop Progress Percents as of August 9, 2010

1/ Less than one percent.

Field Focus Contributors:
Dave Love, CCA                    (M)217-652-9534
Greg Wolf , CCA                   (M)309-314-5001
Jeff Brown, CCA                    (M)217-714-6006

Agronomic Update – 8/6/10

DSM COMMENTS:
CENTRAL IL:  Dale Luster (Downs, IL – McLean Co.)   We are getting very dry in central, east central Illinois.  Most of my clients are crying and praying for rain now.  They received a little rain from eastern McLean County and north to Dwight, along Route 17 from Route 39 east.  Corn is fired and we see much kernel tip back due to the hot nights, according to Dave Shenaut, a Monsanto Technical Development Researcher.  The beans are looking good but it seems like they have stopped flowering and growing.  The corn on the other hand has started to dent and that is a good thing, hopefully we are looking at much drier corn this fall!

EAST CENTRAL IL:  Dennis Opperman (Tuscola, IL – Douglas Co.)  It’s heating up over here in east central Ill. and it’s not from all the optimism of U. of Ill. football team.  Crops continue to look pretty good, mainly because we can’t see the holes in the fields.  I am seeing some various ear rots in the cornfields due to heat, moisture and heavy humidity we’ve been having in the mornings of late.  I’ve looked at some of our early SmartStax™ numbers in the fields and they look good, with very good looking ears and no signs of ear worms.  I tested some ears of our 110 day 6N52VT3 for a customer on Wed,. Aug. 4th and it tested 43% and some ears from our 105 day SmartStax™ came in at 47%.  So it looks like with normal drydown, we might see some shelling the early part of Sept.  The early planted beans look real good and it won’t be long before we can start looking for those 5 bean pods.  Take care out there and watch the heat.

SOUTHWEST CENTRAL IL:  Dave Dimmick (Murrayville, IL – Morgan Co.)   I made a day trip to south central Iowa a few days back and after seeing the water damaged crops and late planted corn and beans or not planted at all…. in that neck of the woods, I feel we in south west central Illinois are in a garden spot.  Be thankful for what we do have.  Our late planted corn is pollinating and looking better each day.  Soybeans are getting some height, however SDS is becoming prevalent in early planted soybeans.  Like most of Illinois, we will need a late freeze to make everything work out this year.  Insects don’t appear to be a major concern except for some corn earworm.  There has been talk of Diplodia but I have not experienced any signs to date.  Crops seem to taking the extreme heat well.    

TAMMY’s 2 Sense –  Here we are into August already, where has the time gone?  School will be starting soon, which means for us in the farming community, we need to watch out for each other.  Along with watching for stopped school buses and children, we also need to be aware of the farm equipment on the roads; take caution, SLOW DOWN and BE SAFE! 

This past week we have had a couple Technology showcases, one down at Parkland College in Champaign, the second one at the Monmouth Learning Center.  Another showcase is coming up on Tuesday, August 24th in Mt. Vernon, IL.  If you are interested in attending the showcase in Mt. Vernon, please contact your DSM or one of our offices for more information on attending.  Below are pictures taken from the showcase at the Monmouth Learning Center. 

We have many Field Days and Plot Tours coming up in August and early September!  Watch the mail, call your DSM or contact one of our three locations for more information on one that may be near you!

I wish everyone a Safe and Bountiful Fall Harvest!

A few words from our Stone Seed Group Agronomists,
Greg Wolf, Geneseo, IL

 As we move into August, the crop development in Illinois continues to be a story of which parts of the state have had recent rains, and which ones haven’t.  As we open up corn ears and check for successful development, tip back, diseases, aborted kernels, etc., it’s important to be able to look back through the season and correlate what we are seeing in the ear to how the cropping season has been.  Are you looking at issues that can be changed with cropping management, or is what you’re seeing related more to weather stresses?

Looking at beans, although soybean aphids have not become a factor anywhere yet, this is the time of year where there can be many other insects on the underside of bean leaves that could be confused with aphids.  These pictures are taken from the Aug 6th issue of the Purdue Pest Crop Newsletter:

Early nymphs of potato leafhopper and soybean aphid

Close-up of adult white flies and soybean aphids

Close-up mealy bugs on leaf

Illinois Crop Progress Percents as of August 2, 2010

1/ Less than one percent.

Field Focus Contributors:
Dave Love, CCA                    (M)217-652-9534
Greg Wolf , CCA                   (M)309-314-5001
Jeff Brown, CCA                    (M)217-714-6006

Agronomic Update – 7/26/10          

DSM COMMENTS:
NORTHERN IL:  Kevin Sanderson (Creston, IL – DeKalb Co.)  This is just an amazing crop year...in northern Illinois we are 90 percent brown silk...the season is just too late for GLS to become a serious problem...very little fungicide application...Ear worm on the other hand could create ear damage both in the near term and at harvest...ear worm larva are beginning to show up on sweet corn...corn and beans very green and healthy...to date no problems exist...we could stand a good inch of rain for grain fill...to date just an exceptional spring and summer!

CENTRAL IL:  Dale Luster (Downs, IL – McLean Co.)   Looked at Stone 6T672VT3 today, it looked great but we saw a large amount of earworm feeding.  When I explained Genuity Smart Stax products control them, the grower definitely wanted some.  Most corn here in McLean, Tazwell and Livingston Counties look good.  The beans look much better now also, despite rain damage, ponds and yellow spots.  We have been dry most of the month with no rain!  Very good Stone Seed Group Rollout Meetings, watch out the STONE TRAIN is heading your way, better jump on!

EAST CENTRAL IL:  Tucker Beckmier (Atwood, IL – Douglas Co.)  The weather in east central Illinois this week has certainly been a challenge.  Rainfall amounts range from 6 inches at Sullivan to less than 2 at Atwood 20 miles straight north.  Some buildings, homes and fields saw wind damage in the hardest hit areas.  On a brighter note, pollination is mostly complete and looks very promising in most areas.  Leaf disease in corn appears to be minimal and an early harvest will be welcome this fall.

SOUTHWEST CENTRAL IL:  Dave Dimmick (Murrayville, IL – Morgan Co.)   Life in the Illinois swamp continues to be replenished with additional rain.  We needed the first inch back on Sunday and Monday but the other 4 to 5 inches could have avoided us.  We also experienced some jittery wind conditions that did snap off some corn in various places.  The early planted corn is well on its way to maturity, some with a nitrogen deficiency.  We still have later planted corn struggling to make a crop.  Soybean growth stages are all across the board but most canopies have filled while others are working on it...  Root worm beetles (western and southern) are present in many corn fields.  Low pops of Jap beetle in both crops.  I have not found any Soybean aphids to date.   Slight presence of septoria or bacterial blight which is normal to find on lower canopied soybean leaves this time of year.  

A few words from our Stone Seed Group Agronomists,

Greg Wolf, Geneseo, IL Now we are entering into the summer stress time of the haves and have nots(who has had rain and who hasn’t), and with the high heat and humidity, and corresponding rapid corn development we are beginning to see the effects of dry conditions on the crop. 

 Insect pressure has been relatively light in northern Illinois, but we continue to monitor for corn earworms and western bean cutworms in corn, and aphids in beans.

Much of the scouting has been done to determine whether to spray for gray leaf spot and rust; the next phase of disease scouting in corn will be sorting out leaf diseases such as northern leaf blight and Goss’ wilt for proper identification. 

Jeff Brown, Sidell, IL. Effect of Wet Weather Conditions on Corn Standability explores how excessive soil moisture can limit corn root development, preventing the plants to properly anchor in the soil.  Under moist conditions, brace root formation may not come quick enough to support the top growth of corn leading to root lodging.  In addition, the excessive moisture conditions can cause incomplete brace root development that leads to plant lodging. Read more about this by clicking this link.

Corn Earworm moths (CEW) moving into Illinois. 

The maps shown indicate potential Corn Earworm moth flights in Illinois.  HIGH RISKS continue on Day 1 across the southwestern Corn Belt from northern Kansas and southern Nebraska into Iowa, northern Missouri, and western Illinois, with another HIGH RISK on Day 4 essentially across the same area but also further east into Illinois. 

Moderate risks are in place for areas south of US 20.  Moth flights remain focused especially to the south of US 20.  Farmers south of US 20 and along and south of I-80 need to be on guard and prepared for new moth flights this week.  Just because an area is in a Moderate vs. High Risk does not mean it will not see flights as well.

Go to www.insectforecast.com – for current full maps and details.

Check for Corn Earworm Larvae (CEW) by pulling back the husk to look for larvae at the ear tip on 10 consecutive plants.  CEW larvae are light green to dark brown, usually have an orange head capsule, and 3 to 4 stripes across their body length. While the YieldGard® family of traits (VT3) has assisted in providing control for many major corn insects, CEW is only suppressed by these products. The introduction of Genuity® corn traits now offers advanced above-ground insect protection that can improve grain quality and increase yield potential. Genuity® VT Double PRO™, Genuity® VT Triple PRO™, and Genuity® SmartStax™ corn provide dual modes of action against lepidopteron species such as CEW.

Keep in mind that Losing just three kernels per ear of corn can equal one bushel per acre lost

The following links are Agronomic Spotlights that focus on Soybeans.  There are several different components that directly impact soybean yield at particular growth stages.  Two Spotlights discusses these components at flowering and seed development stages of growth.  Click on the following links to learn more:
          Yield Components of Soybean during Flowering

          Yield Components of Soybean during Seed Development

Illinois Crop Progress Percents as of July 19, 2010

1/ Less than one percent.

Field Focus Contributors:
Dave Love, CCA                    (M)217-652-9534
Greg Wolf , CCA                   (M)309-314-5001
Jeff Brown, CCA                    (M)217-714-6006

Agronomic Update – 7/13/10

DSM COMMENTS:
NORTHERN IL:  Kevin Sanderson (Creston, IL – DeKalb Co.)  In northern Illinois 90 percent of the corn has pollinated and the crop looks as good as any in the last few years.  We have been receiving just about an inch of rain a week for the last month, no insects and only slight evidence of GLS.  This crop is extremely early for northern Illinois. Beans are really taking off with about 60 percent of rowed beans closed, many flowers present and again no insects to speak of.  Potentially crops may be as good as we have ever had!

CENTRAL IL:  Nicole Forsberg (Clinton, IL-Dewitt Co.)  Upon returning from a vacation out West and traveling through all of Nebraska and Iowa I would have to say the fields in my sales territory look great in comparison! DeWitt County is progressing well with tasseling nearly complete.  The planes are buzzing overhead applying fungicide and insecticide where disease and Japanese Beetles have caused damage.  Woodford County continues to look very well and could use a shower in a few areas.  Tazewell County continues to show the results of uneven emergence with many fields still looking like ocean waves.  Soybeans are beginning to canopy and need to be closely monitored for beetles as well.

SOUTH CENTRAL IL:  Jay Ryan (Pana, IL – Christian Co.)  We have a wide variety of crop conditions throughout my region, this goes for both planting date as well as ratings. Nitrogen deficiency is the growing concern in much of my area. Prolonged saturated soils are contributing to a substantial amount of nitrogen loss. Fall applied anhydrous, 28%, and ammonium sulfate programs seem to be taking the biggest hit. Even though the spring applied anhydrous as well as side dress look better there are still signs of deficiency. The big question is will we run out prior to kernel fill. Soybeans look pretty good as a whole. Here again quite a range in growth stages as the last planted are just emerging. All in all a pretty good crop though.

SOUTHWEST CENTRAL IL:  Dave Dimmick (Murrayville, IL – Morgan Co.)   Pollination is progressing well on the early planted corn.  Replant corn has another 30 days or more to finish the process.  Heat units continue to crank.  Jap beetle pops seem to have dropped off and low numbers of corn rootworm beetles observed.  Many soybean fields have been sprayed and relieved of weed pressure.  The later planted beans are developing well.  This last week we received anywhere from 5/10” to 1” of rain in several small rain events.  No major wind which we all hope remains the norm.  We hope to see corn maturing in mid Sept. with much dryer harvest moistures at least in the earlier planted crops.  2010 has been a mixed bag for us but over all we remain optimistic for a profitable year.  It’s been difficult to play the catch up game with Mother Nature but I think we gained some points the past two weeks. 

A few words from our Stone Seed Group Agronomists,

Greg Wolf, Geneseo, IL

 Gray Leaf Spot and Common Rust are continuing their march up Illinois; now they are breaking out to various degrees along the I-80 corridor.  Corn rootworm beetles and Japanese Beetles are low in number except for some isolated spots.  Miscellaneous corn issues such as nitrogen problems, nematodes, and greensnap are evident throughout the region.

As sweet corn comes out of the field, evidence of earworm injury ranges from light to moderate.  We’ll keep an eye out for evidence of differences between Smart Stax and other traits. 

Bean progress in the region ranges from emergence to pod set.  Scouting begins for Frog Eye and Anthracnose, along with checking for evidence of Cyst Nematodes. 

Sunny skies and plenty of moisture should make for ideal pollinating conditions as the crop progress rapidly moves along.

Dave Love, Petersburg, IL  The planes are flying here at home 6-7 days a week.  GLS and rust are showing up above the ear leaf in areas and mainly in some competitor’s varieties.  You may see disease in one spot worth spraying and go 3 miles down the road in the same variety and see fairly clean corn.  The main lesson here is to keep scouting.  Beans are looking good depending on planting date and herbicide use.

Jeff Brown, Sidell, IL.

The planes have been busy this week across Illinois spraying fungicides on corn.  Our first “Agronomic Alert” this week focuses on Gray Leaf Spot and Common Rust, the two most widely seen diseases thus far in corn this year.  Environmental conditions have been favorable for infection of both diseases.  When scouting corn, check the entire plant for leaf disease as Common Rust will attack the younger or higher corn leaves while Gray Leaf Spot is initially found more on the lower or older leaves.  Take a moment to read over this “Alert” and spend some time to check your fields for pressure. Contact your Stone Seed Group DSM for more information and assistance.  Click this link to read more:  Agronomic Alert – Gray Leaf Spot in Corn

Moth flight captures in parts of Indiana and Illinois have been impressive this year already for Corn Earworm and Western Bean Cutworm.  Has anyone found worms feeding on their sweet corn already this year?  This agronomist has and if they are in sweet corn, they will be in our commercial corn fields as well.  Most of these are Corn Earworm which migrate into our area each year by wind currents.  Western Bean Cutworm does overwinter in Illinois and is becoming more of a threat each year.  For each 3 kernels fed on, figure on 1 bushel lost.  Damage from these pests is usually hidden.  Only one technology provides trait protection against both insects.  Genuity® SmartStax™, Genuity® VT Double Pro™ and Genuity® VT Triple Pro™. 

Click these links to find out more about identification, life cycles and management:
Agronomic Spotlight – Corn Earworm

Agronomic Spotlight – Western Bean Cutworm

Finally, a dry period has hit most of our area.  But wait, I can’t be seeing drought stricken corn already…or can it be?  The answer is a resounding “YES”, we can be seeing corn that is showing signs of drought stress.  Remember all of the compaction seen this spring from harvest last year, spring tillage, torrential rains, etc… This has had an impact on root development in areas of many fields.  Shallow root development can lead to drought stress earlier than corn roots at a normal depth.  Click this link to learn more: Agronomic Spotlight - Drought Stress in Shallow Rooted Corn

Illinois Crop Progress Percents as of July 12, 2010

1/ Less than one percent.

Field Focus Contributors:
Dave Love, CCA                    (M)217-652-9534
Greg Wolf , CCA                   (M)309-314-5001
Jeff Brown, CCA                    (M)217-714-6006

Agronomic Update – 7/01/10          

DSM COMMENTS:
SOUTH CENTRAL IL:  Aaron Miller (Brownstown, IL – Fayette Co.) My area received any where from an inch to 6.5 inches on Sunday evening.  Most growers had a couple of days of planting before the big rain hit.  There were reports of water just below the tassels on some corn in the Vandalia bottom.  Most growers in my area are done or just need a couple of days of good running to finish up.  Most of the growers I am talking to are not going to hesitate on planting the rest of beans they were planning on planting.  The majority of the corn is tasseled out and shedding pollen.  I have seen some rust and grey leaf spot, but nothing close enough to justify spraying fungicide.  The forecast looks good for this area over the next week, most guys will be able to get in the field by this weekend. Hopefully if the weather cooperates, this area will be finished up by the middle of next week!

SOUTHWEST CENTRAL IL:  Dave Dimmick (Murrayville, IL – Morgan Co.)  Last Sunday was our last rain.  This is some kind of rain free record for us.  Much late bean planting and spraying of soybeans has taken place. (around wet holes but doing the best we can). Early corn is pollinating and we have had some flying on fungicides but it could be N, roundup, soybean seed. Still finding evidence of rust and GLS in younger and later planted corn. Jap beetles have increased somewhat in numbers. Ear size is encouraging on the early pollinated corn.  I think we are getting this planting season wrapped. Enjoy the 4th by remembering our freedoms we take for granted.

NORTHERN IL:  Tony Strom (Victoria, IL – Knox Co.) Fields drying up in Knox ,Warren and Stark county with soybean planting finishing up in the wet areas. Corn planted in Early April is beginning to pollinate. Japanese beetles are abundant and with corn starting to silk need to be monitored closely.  With the current rainfall and temps there is a lot of GLS showing up. Overall crops look good in the dryer areas and following soybean stubble.

A few words from our Stone Seed Group Agronomists,

Jeff Brown, Sidell, IL. Last week’s Insect Quiz:  No one answered the correct insect name and it’s no wonder, this is a critter we don’t see in row-crop production.  Aaron Miller of Brownstown, IL came closest with his guess “Looks like a baby off of the movie Tremors”.  The insect is called a Soldier Fly Larvae.  The fact that these were wriggling all over the ground recently in a soybean field in Shelby County suggest this soil had been saturated for a very long time…an environment these insects thrive on. 

Do I Try to Spray or Not for White Mold Control?  If you work through the following checklist, it will help you decide:

TAMMY’s 2 Sense - Tammy Smith, Customer Service Rep - Geneseo Location – Summer is here!  The old saying “rain makes grain”,  I don’t know about you but I have had enough of the rain and have been enjoying the beautiful sunshine and cooler temps this past week. With that we also have our friendly, or NOT so friendly PESTS to contend with, in our crops as well as in our homes, yards and gardens. That being said I thought it would be appropriate to contribute the bleow article I searched and found on the Medline Plus web-site.  Hope you all had a SAFE AND ENJOYABLE 4th of July Holiday.

Pesticide Safety Tips
Resources

• Questions On Pesticides?
  National Pesticide Information Center (NPIC)  1-800-858-7378
  

Although pesticides can be useful, they also can be dangerous if used carelessly or not are stored properly. Here are some tips for safer pest control:

• The most effective way to reduce risks posed by pesticides is to use non-chemical control methods to reduce or eliminate pest problems. Around the home, such measures include removing sources of food and water (such as leaky pipes) and destroying pest shelters and breeding sites (such as litter and plant debris).
• If you decide you must use pesticides, always read the label first and follow the directions to the letter, including all precautions and restrictions.
• Don't use products for pests that are not indicated on the label and don't use more pesticide than directed by the label. Don't think that twice the amount will do twice the job.
• Use protective measures when handling pesticides as directed by the label, such as wearing impermeable gloves, long pants, and long-sleeve shirts. Change clothes and wash your hands immediately after applying pesticides.
• Before applying a pesticide (indoors or outdoors), remove children, their toys, and pets from the area and keep them away until the pesticide has dried or as recommended by the label.
• Don't spray outdoors on windy or rainy days. Take precautions to keep the pesticide from drifting or running off into the vegetable garden, pool, or neighbor's yard.
• Remove or cover food during indoor applications.
• If using a commercial applicator or lawn care service, ask for information about potential risks and safety precautions to take.
• Don't buy more pesticides than you will need. If you have leftover pesticides, check with your local government to determine whether your community has a household hazardous waste collection program or other program for disposing of pesticides. If no community program exists, follow label directions and any state or local regulations regarding disposal.
• Keep the telephone number of your area Poison Control Center near your telephone: 1-800-222-1222.

Here are some tips to follow if you have children or if children visit your house or yard:

• Always store pesticides away from children's reach, in a locked cabinet or garden shed. Child-proof safety latches also may be installed on cabinets and can be purchased at local hardware stores and other retail outlets.
• Never transfer pesticides to other containers that children may associate with food or drink.
• Never place rodent or insect baits where small children can get to them.
• Teach children that "pesticides are poisons" - something they should not touch.
• Alert others to the potential hazard of pesticides, especially care givers and grandparents.

IN CASE OF AN EMERGENCY, try to determine what the person was exposed to and what part of the body was affected before you take action, since taking the right action is as important as taking immediate action. If the person is unconscious having trouble breathing, or having convulsions, give needed first aid immediately. Call 911.or your local emergency service. If the person does not have these symptoms, contact your local Poison Control Center at 1-800-222-1222. Have the product container with you when you call for assistance - remember to act fast!

General First -Aid Guidelines:

• Swallowed poison. Induce vomiting. ONLY if the emergency personnel on the phone tell you to do so. This will depend on what the child has swallowed; some petroleum products or caustic poisons will cause more damage if the victim is made to vomit.
• Poison in eye. Eye damage can occur, within minutes with some types of pesticide. If poison splashes into an eye, hold the eyelid open and wash quickly and gently with clean, running water from the tap or a gentle stream from a hose for at least 15 minutes. Do not use eye drops or place chemicals or drugs in the wash water.
• Poison on skin. If pesticide splashes on the skin, drench area with water and remove contaminated clothing. Wash skin and hair thoroughly with soap and water. Later, discard contaminated clothing or thoroughly wash it separately from other laundry.

Inhaled poison. Carry or drag victim to fresh air immediately. If you are able to get to the victim because of fumes, immediately contact the Fire Department. Loosen victim's tight clothing. If the victim is blue or has stopped breathing, give artificial respiration (if you know how) and call rescue service for help. Open doors and windows so no one else will be poisoned by fumes.

Illinois Crop Progress Percents as of June 28, 2010

1/ Less than one percent.

Field Focus Contributors:
Dave Love, CCA                    (M)217-652-9534
Greg Wolf , CCA                   (M)309-314-5001
Jeff Brown, CCA                    (M)217-714-6006