Illinois Field Reports: Hot and Dry, Rains Offer Minimal Relief

Emerson Nafziger, Agronomy Extension Specialist, College of Illinois

Though rain fell in lots of locations in central and northern Illinois final weekend (June 25-26) this week’s drought map reveals much more of Illinois in “abnormally dry” (D0) or “average drought (D1) than every week earlier. This isn’t stunning, provided that crops are eradicating water extra water every day than they did after they have been smaller, and evaporation charges have remained excessive.

Which means an inch or extra of water can disappear from the soil inside three or 4 days, leaving vegetation to once more battle to extract water from the soil. Each corn and soybean vegetation responded shortly to rain by including peak and leaf space, however they continue to be smaller in lots of fields than they might usually be this lengthy after planting.

If rains return within the coming days, soybeans have the potential to get well most of their yield potential. That is probably not the case for corn that’s been exhibiting afternoon stress each day and is inside 10 days to 2 weeks of pollination.

Talon Becker, Business Agriculture Extension Educator, South-Central IL

A lot of the south-central IL area obtained much-needed rain this previous weekend.  Wheat harvest is accomplished in most areas, with most double-crop beans planted this week.  The earliest planted corn within the space is round V10 and can possible begin to present tassel within the subsequent couple of weeks.  Full-season soybeans are largely within the V3-V4 stage, with perhaps just a few early planted fields a bit additional alongside.

Doug Gucker, Native Meals and Small Farms Extension Educator, Central IL

This a part of Illinois is both “abnormally dry” or in “average drought” in accordance with the US Drought Monitor. The crops are nonetheless trying good contemplating the dry circumstances. Corn is V5 – V9 stage and most soybean fields are on the R1 stage. Wheat harvest is underway, second slicing hay is in progress and most post-emergence herbicide functions are accomplished. Japanese beetles are being seen in soybean fields. The rain storms which have occurred have brought on crop injury in scattered fields throughout this a part of Illinois.

Phillip Alberti, Business Agriculture Extension Educator, Northern IL

Like a lot of the state, it has been scorching and really dry right here in NW Illinois. With the drought monitor exhibiting abnormally dry throughout the area, a fast journey east in the direction of Joliet confirmed extra of the identical.

With corn approaching V5 and soybeans round V4, the rain that got here to a lot of northern Illinois final week couldn’t have come at a greater time. Regardless of rainfall totals being spotty, as they usually are this time of 12 months, the buildup offered much-needed reduction to the confused crops within the area.

Earlier planted corn and beans seem like in higher form, as they’re extra more likely to attain any subsoil moisture that is still. Regardless corn leaves are nonetheless rolling within the afternoon and progress is slower than we wish it to be.

With excessive temperatures and dry circumstances stretching over the following few days, let’s hope we are able to catch one other “million-dollar rain” (or two) early subsequent week.

Nathan Johanning, Business Agriculture Extension Educator, Southwestern IL

Late final week we lastly received a small break in our dry circumstances with a lot of the space getting 0.6 to 0.8 inches of rain. This was coupled with a cool right down to the low 80s for the weekend so crops had the moisture and rather less warmth stress on crops. Temperatures and humidity have inched up over the week now again to the mid-90s for highs. Crops are beginning to present just a bit stress by now, particularly on droughty hillsides however nothing like previous to the rain. The earliest double crop soybeans are simply beginning to emerge and take off.

Chelsea Harbach, Business Agriculture Extension Educator, Northwestern IL

To my shock, what was forecasted as a 0.4-inch weekend rain in Knox County was nearer to three inches! Sadly, the rain occasion seemed to be fairly spotty, with some areas in western Illinois getting smaller quantities the place they wanted it most. Later planted soybeans are nonetheless struggling, particularly the place weekend rain accumulation was smaller. On prime of that, I’ve seen a number of (what seems to me as) herbicide injury on a number of the later-planted soybean fields, too.

These fields that have been dinged by drift actually need an additional contact of rain to assist them come out of the injury. Corn total is trying good, particularly, as anticipated, the sooner planting dates. As we strategy the time of the season when fungicide functions are beginning, I ask that you simply please think about fungicide resistance administration in your fields.