2024 Corn Yield Forecasts as of July 23

July 24, 2024

2024 Corn Yield Forecasts as of July 23

By Patricio Grassini - Professor of Agronomy and Horticulture, and Cropping Systems Specialist, Jose Andrade - UNL Affiliate, Fernando Aramburu Merlos - UNL Affiliate, Haishun Yang - UNL Associate Professor of Agronomy and Horticulture, Jenny Brhel - Extension Educator, Jeff Coulter - Professor and Extension Specialist, University of Minnesota, Mark Licht - ISU Associate Professor, Extension Cropping System Specialist, Sotirios Archontoulis - ISU Professor, Ignacio Ciampitti - KSU Cropping System Specialist, Jim Crawford - University of Missouri Graves-Chapple Extension and Education Center, Maninder Pal Singh - Michigan State University Associate Professor of Cropping Systems Agronomy, Osler Ortez - Ohio State University Department of Horticulture and Crop Science Assistant Professor, Daniel Quinn - Assistant Professor of Agronomy and Extension Corn Specialist, Purdue University

Simulations of 2024 end-of-season corn yield potential and real-time crop stage were performed on July 23 for 43 locations across the U.S. Corn Belt using the UNL Hybrid-Maize crop model in collaboration with faculty and extension educators from 10 universities. This article summarizes the simulated crop stages and yield forecasts; the data can be viewed in Table 1. Details on the UNL Hybrid-Maize crop model and the underpinning methodology to simulate phenology and forecast end-of-season yields, as well as on interpretation and uses of yield forecasts, are described in a previous article.

A summary of weather conditions during the last 60 days (from May 23 to July 22) is shown in Figure 1. The season began with near-average temperatures in the central Corn Belt, while daytime temperatures were below normal in the northwestern fringe of the region (ND and MN). Total rainfall was near the historical average at most sites. However, consistent with drought monitor reports, rainfall was below average in western NE and parts of KS and OH, and above average in southern MN, northern IA and eastern NE.

Graph of 2023 daily solar radiation, maximum and minimum air temperature, total rainfall
Figure 1. Daily solar radiation, maximum and minimum air temperature (Tmax and Tmin), total rainfall, and total reference grass-based evapotranspiration (ET) for the time period between May 23 and July 22, 2024. Vertical bars indicate the range for these variables based on 20-plus years of weather records. The horizontal thick line indicates the long-term average, and the red dots indicate the 2024 values for the same period.
Table 1. Data from simulations of 2024 end-of-season corn yield potential and real-time crop stage performed on July 23.
 LocationWater regimeLong-term average yield (bu/ac) §Range of Yp forecasts as of Jul 23 (bu/ac)¶ 25thRange of Yp forecasts as of Jul 23 (bu/ac)¶ 75thProbability (%) of 2024 yield to be: Below (relative to the long-term Yp)†Probability (%) of 2024 yield to be: Near (relative to the long-term Yp)†Probability (%) of 2024 yield to be: Above (relative to the long-term Yp)†Simulated current crop stage*
NEAllianceIrrigated2302332683%37%60%R2, Blister
BeatriceDryland18317020518%50%32%R3, Milk
Irrigated24123425915%50%35%R3, Milk
Clay CenterDryland1862142400%7%93%R2, Blister
Irrigated25824126733%43%24%R2, Blister
ConcordDryland20119926012%29%60%R2, Blister
Irrigated26825329029%33%38%R2, Blister
ElginIrrigated26823927947%36%17%R2, Blister
HoldregeDryland1431461610%69%31%R3, Milk
Irrigated25723426047%33%19%R2, Blister
McCookDryland1197511467%24%10%R3, Milk
Irrigated23821724545%36%19%R3, Milk
MeadDryland2062262480%31%69%R3, Milk
Irrigated24724426417%50%33%R3, Milk
North PlatteDryland1317512271%14%14%R2, Blister
Irrigated25623829129%24%48%R2, Blister
O'NeillIrrigated24723526826%36%38%R2, Blister
IAAmesDryland24821024936%50%14%R2, Blister
CrawfordsvilleDryland2382392573%79%18%R3, Milk
KanawhaDryland2562492680%88%12%R2, Blister
LewisDryland22123126512%19%69%R2, Blister
NashuaDryland2572542796%77%17%R1, Silking
SutherlandDryland2452442696%69%26%R2, Blister
ILBondvilleDryland2522492750%81%19%R3, Milk
FreeportDryland2422332613%76%21%R2, Blister
OlneyDryland2102092379%53%38%R3, Milk
PeoriaDryland2282252550%65%35%R3, Milk
SpringfieldDryland21619624025%42%33%R3, Milk
INButlervilleDryland23721625114%71%14%R3, Milk
Columbia CityDryland2502582870%43%57%R1, Silking
DavisDryland2572532665%90%5%R2, Blister
West LafayetteDryland2542512655%76%19%R3, Milk
KSGarden CityIrrigated23721424053%42%5%R4, Dough
HutchinsonDryland1188191100%0%0%R5, Dent
ManhattanDryland1581751940%23%77%R4, Dough
ScandiaDryland15812716650%39%11%R4, Dough
Irrigated23422124729%45%26%R3, Milk
SilverlakeDryland1621751880%42%58%R4, Dough
Irrigated21821022918%47%34%R4, Dough
MICerescoDryland2312392660%43%57%R1, Silking
East LansingDryland2362382640%61%39%R1, Silking
MungerDryland2452412760%58%42%R1, Silking
MNEldredDryland16214517929%46%25%V10
LambertonDryland2452542720%67%33%R2, Blister
WasecaDryland2462502792%57%41%R1, Silking
MOBrunswickDryland1942102270%33%67%R4, Dough
Monroe CityDryland19118022717%30%52%R4, Dough
St. JosephDryland1872162360%4%96%R4, Dough
NDDazeyDryland16413917441%41%17%V8
OHCustarDryland23121823915%74%10%R3, Milk
South CharlestonDryland23519223153%44%3%R3, Milk
WoosterDryland2362362645%59%36%R1, Silking

§ Long-term (last 20-plus years) potential yield at each location and surrounding area. 
¶ Range of forecasted 2024 potential yields based on average planting date in 2024, indicating the potential yields in the 25th and 75th percentile of the potential yield distribution (associated with respective adverse and favorable weather scenarios during the rest of the season). 
† Probability of obtaining a 2024 yield below (10%) than the long-term potential yield at each location; or 5% at each irrigated location, respectively.

Simulated Corn Stage Across 43 Locations

Corn has reached the silking stage at all sites except for the northwestern fringe of the region (ND and northern MN), where it is still in vegetative phases (Figure 2). Additionally, most sites in the southern part of the Corn Belt have reached the milk stage (central and southern IL, southern NE, and western and southern IN and OH) or even the dough stage (KS and MO).

Graph of Simulated developmental stage for irrigated and rainfed corn at each location
Figure 2a. Simulated developmental stage for irrigated  corn at each location. Vn: vegetative stage (nth leaf); R1: silking; R2: blister; R3: milk; R4: dough; R5: dent.
Graph of Simulated developmental stage for irrigated and rainfed corn at each location
Figure 2b. Simulated developmental stage for rainfed corn at each location. Vn: vegetative stage (nth leaf); R1: silking; R2: blister; R3: milk; R4: dough; R5: dent.

Irrigated Corn: High Probability of Near-average Yields

The range of forecasted irrigated corn yield potential for each location, as well as the probabilities for yields above, near, or below average, are shown in Figures 3 and 4. Although it is still early in the season, there is a relatively high probability of near-average yields for most irrigated sites, with above-average yields more likely in western NE. Weather conditions during the grain filling will ultimately determine if most irrigated sites achieve near-average yields.

Variation in 2024 Forecasted Rainfed Corn Yield

Forecasted yield potential is variable across rainfed sites (Figures 3 and 4). Overall, at this point of the season, the probability of near-average yields is relatively high in the northern, central, and eastern fringe of the Corn Belt (ND, MN, IA, IL, IN, MI and OH). Indeed, there is a high probability of near-average yields (>75%) in eight sites, which is consistent with USDA NASS crop reports.

Conversely, the probability of above-average yields increases towards the west and southwest of the Corn Belt (southwestern IA, southern and eastern NE, eastern KS, and MO). Finally, the western fringe of the region (western NE and southern KS) exhibits a high probability of below-average yields. Whether these trends persist will depend on precipitation and temperature patterns during the rest of July and early August.

Graph of forecasted 2024 corn yield potential
Figure 3a. Vertical lines indicate the range of forecasted 2024 corn yield potential by July 23 based on average planting date in 2024 at each location. Horizontal lines indicate the 25th and 75th percentiles of the yield distribution (associated with respective adverse and favorable weather scenarios during the rest of the season). The blue squares indicate the long-term (2005-2023) average yield potential at each location for irrigated corn.
Graph of forecasted 2024 corn yield potential
Figure 3b. Vertical lines indicate the range of forecasted 2024 corn yield potential by July 23 based on average planting date in 2024 at each location. Horizontal lines indicate the 25th and 75th percentiles of the yield distribution (associated with respective adverse and favorable weather scenarios during the rest of the season). The blue squares indicate the long-term (2005-2023) average yield potential at each location for rainfed corn.
Graph of Probability of the 2024 yield potential
Figure 4a. Probability of the 2024 yield potential for irrigated corn to be below (5% for irrigated sites, red color), near (±5% for irrigated sites, yellow color), and above (5% above for irrigated sites, green color) the long-term (2005-2023) average yield potential at each location. The larger a color section is within the pie chart, the higher the probability that end-of-season corn yield will be in that category.
Graph of Probability of the 2024 yield potential
Figure 4b. Probability of the 2024 yield potential for rainfed corn to be below (5% for rainfed sites, red color), near (±5% for rainfed sites, yellow color), and above (5% above for rainfed sites, green color) the long-term (2005-2023) average yield potential at each location. The larger a color section is within the pie chart, the higher the probability that end-of-season corn yield will be in that category.

Conclusions

Corn has reached reproductive stages throughout most of the region. While it is still early to make strong inferences about end-of-season yields for irrigated corn, there is a relatively high probability of near-average yields for most sites, but this could change depending on temperatures during the next weeks.

For rainfed corn, the scenario is diverse across regions, with near-average yields likely in the northern, central and eastern regions of the Corn Belt. However, above-average yields are expected in southern and eastern NE, eastern KS and MO, whereas limited rainfall is leading to below-average yields in western NE and southern KS.

Temperature and rainfall through the end of July and early August will be crucial in determining whether these projections persist.

These forecasts do not take into consideration problems with stand emergence, hail/flooding damage, replanting situations, disease or nitrate leaching. In fields negatively affected by these constraints, actual yields will be lower than estimates provided here.

It is important to keep in mind that yield forecasts are not field specific and, instead, represent an estimate of average yield potential for a given location and surrounding area in absence of the yield-reducing factors mentioned here. Likewise, crop stages and forecasted yields will deviate from the ones reported here in fields with planting dates or hybrid maturities that differ markedly from those used as the basis for the forecasts. We will follow up with further forecasts in early August.

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