Crop and Field Updates - UNL CropWatch, July 12, 2012

Crop and Field Updates - UNL CropWatch, July 12, 2012

July 12, 2012

Karen DeBoer, Extension Educator in Cheyenne County:  Our conditions have changed with recent monsoonal moisture and relief from the 100°F temperatures we were experiencing. Dryland corn, millet, and sunflowers have responded to the recent rains; however, the rains were spotty with varying amounts recorded, so it will still be important to monitor crop conditions. Adequate moisture conditions going into the fall wheat seeding period will be
very important.

Stressed corn

Rainfed corn in sandy field 2 miles northeast of Madison. Taller corn is in low areas or spots with less sand. The field across the road is irrigated and has tasseled.

Wayne Ohnesorg, Extension Educator in Madison, Wayne, Pierce, and Stanton Counties:  Irrigated crops are going well with corn tasseling and are beginning to silk.  Beans are flowering (R1).  Rainfed crops are in desperate need of moisture and are lagging about two weeks behind irrigated crops.

Chuck Burr, Extension Educator in Phelps County:  Soybeans are blooming, irrigated corn looks okay, and dryland corn is holding on. Last weekend Harlan County received spotty rains of 1/2 to 3 inches which may help with pollination. Weeds are a particular problem this year.  It appears that they weren't treated when small or that producers were trying to limit the number of applications.  Now the weeds are large and pulling a lot of moisture from the ground.  Herbicides won't work when they're this big.

Gary Lesoing, Extension Educator in Nemaha County:  Some areas got 2-3 inches on Sunday and some in Richardson County had 1.5 inches.  Rainfed corn in western Nemaha County got about 1/2 inch and is hanging on.  Beans are blooming.  Weeds have been an issue in a lot of fields here too and have been hard to kill with all the dry weather. Forages are short and a lot of straw is being baled up.

John Wilson, Extension Educator in Burt County: We didn't get any of the rains they saw in southern Nebraska and are now dry as a bone. We got a couple of good rains in June that have helped tide us over, the the lack of recent rain is starting to show in dryland corn and even under some pivots.  Corn is tasseling and entering pollination and soybeans are blooming.

Keith Jarvi, Extension Educator in Dakota, Dixon, and Thurston Counties:  We are  digging our corn rootworm plots to rate them for damage. This is about 10 days ahead of when we usually do it. All we have here in Dixon, Dakota, and Thurston counties are corn, soybeans, and alfalfa. Third cutting alfalfa is being taken and yields are pretty poor overall.

Irrigated corn and beans are doing okay but in some locations they're having trouble keeping up, particularly in areas where load restrictions make the energy price very expensive during peak hours if you are directly on the electric grid. Farmers are still reluctant to run these pivots during peak.

Dryland corn and beans are going down fast, lots of fading color spots in nearly every field and getting worse every day. I’m actually amazed how it is holding on, but there are lots of “rolling fields” where the corn is beginning to show uneven height. Soybeans are beginning to fade in color, going from deep green to shades of lighter green and finally to brown where the lighter soils hold the least moisture. It’s a little better near the Missouri River where they have received a little more rain, but even there they have very little time left.


 

 

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