There has been an uneven and variable start to corn and soybean crops in north-central Indiana this year. In a Channel Seed growing season update, field sales representative Daniel Stauffer says recent weather in his territory has caused a positive shift in the outlook.
“The great weather, heat and sunshine that we finally started getting helped accumulate a lot of growing degree units to help this corn even up quite a bit here recently, and so I would say corn is really coming on strong,” he told HAT. “Roots are getting to the fertilizer more and more and just that heat and sunshine typically fixes a lot of issues, so the corn is looking pretty good.”
Soybeans are also rebounding from some spring and early summer struggles.
“Obviously we had the water issues, having a lot of yellowing in spots in the fields preventing some oxygen from being down in those roots and in the soil profile, but now that we’ve got to the summer solstice, June 21st, beans have really started to take off and we’re seeing a lot of growth on that front and with flowering starting. So, I think we’re sitting in a pretty good spot all in all.”
Not surprisingly with the conducive conditions for tar spot earlier this season, that disease has been confirmed in the state, and Stauffer says scout fields whenever you can.
“We’re watching for that is as Purdue confirmed that in many, many places across Northern Indiana now, and so taking into account fungicide applications. Delaro and Delaro Complete are a couple that I’d suggest on the corn just to protect as many bushels as we can out there. Keep that plant as healthy as possible to fend off to tar spot and just keep better plant health.”
Statewide 63 percent of Indiana corn is rated good to excellent, and 62 percent of soybeans are in that category, below the national averages.
Hear more from Daniel Stauffer in the full HAT and Channel Seed growing season update:
