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Harvest, like planting, off to slow start in the Tri-States
By Cindy Iutzi/Gate City Staff Writer
Harvest has started in some Tri-State Area fields, but for the most part, Lee County farmers are still tweaking their combines for the season ahead.
A wetter than normal spring delayed planting for many, but a few farmers got a dab or two of beans and corn planted before it started raining. Those were the crops coming out in the last few days before it started raining Sunday.
By the end of August, a month in which 9.63 inches of rain fell in Lee County, the average precipitation for the entire year – 34 to 36 inches – had been surpassed by approximately four inches.
Because crops were planted late and the growing season was cooler and wetter than usual, harvest also will be later than average, said Iowa State University Extension District 20 Director Bob Dodds, Mount Pleasant. And the later harvest gets, the more worrisome an early freeze becomes.
“We really do need time,” Dodds said. “We have quite a big amount of corn that hasn’t black layered (fully matured) in Lee County. Mid-October would be a perfect time for a frost.”
Farmers who already have harvested corn, much of that planted in well-draining sandy soils, have estimated their corn at 26 to 28 percent moisture, he said. A moisture of 14 is best for storing corn in a bin.
The harvested corn had a yield of 180 to 200 bushels to the acre in Lee County, and reports of 200-plus yields are starting to come into area elevators.
“That was corn after beans, but the corn on corn looks pretty tough,” Dodds said. “I’m not sure how they are going to harvest that much.”
As farmers get farther into their corn, some problems with diseases caused by the wet and cool growing conditions are becoming evident. Dodds said he has not heard about any widespread problems, just a few cases of ear molds showing up.
This is a year when farmers who used fungicide on their corn will see their plants stay healthy longer, he added.
Farmers who see damage should remember to report it to their crop insurance adjuster, he said.
“I’m crossing my fingers that these are isolated instances,” Dodds said. Time will tell.”
Soybeans will be an interesting crop to harvest as well. Sudden death syndrome started showing up in some fields in mid-to-late-August.
“The earlier it sets in, the more damage it causes,” Dodds said. “Inset in July will cause an 8 to 10 percent yield reduction. In August, it could be 4 to 6 percent damage.”
ISU pathologists are saying that farmers may be able to control the particular pathogen that causes sudden death syndrome by reducing the amount of corn that escapes from combining during harvest.
“They need to try to really make sure they don’t leave a lot of corn on the ground,” Dodds said. “That’s very interesting. Not only will they have more yield, but it could cut down on overwintering SDS.”
No Lee County yields were posted last week, but the U.S. Department of Agriculture has estimated a 52 bushel per acre yield for Iowa.
“That’s a high number, which is all I’m trying to say,” he said. “I have only seen a few fields of early maturing soybeans combined in Lee County and the producers have reported yields that are ‘pretty good.’ That usually means yields in the 50s.”
The predicted national bean yield is at 42.3 bushels to the acre, up six bushels from 2008.
Aphids have zeroed in on late planted soybeans – beans that were planted toward the end of June and beginning of July, and white mold is showing up in soybeans.
“It looks like you attached small amounts of cotton on the stems,” Dodds said. “We’ve seen most of that in Northern Lee County. The plant dies from the top down. Over the last two to three weeks that has been a problem here. It goes back to wet corn leaves until noon and then dew coming on by 6 p.m.”
A wetter than normal spring delayed planting for many, but a few farmers got a dab or two of beans and corn planted before it started raining. Those were the crops coming out in the last few days before it started raining Sunday.
By the end of August, a month in which 9.63 inches of rain fell in Lee County, the average precipitation for the entire year – 34 to 36 inches – had been surpassed by approximately four inches.
Because crops were planted late and the growing season was cooler and wetter than usual, harvest also will be later than average, said Iowa State University Extension District 20 Director Bob Dodds, Mount Pleasant. And the later harvest gets, the more worrisome an early freeze becomes.
“We really do need time,” Dodds said. “We have quite a big amount of corn that hasn’t black layered (fully matured) in Lee County. Mid-October would be a perfect time for a frost.”
Farmers who already have harvested corn, much of that planted in well-draining sandy soils, have estimated their corn at 26 to 28 percent moisture, he said. A moisture of 14 is best for storing corn in a bin.
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“That was corn after beans, but the corn on corn looks pretty tough,” Dodds said. “I’m not sure how they are going to harvest that much.”
As farmers get farther into their corn, some problems with diseases caused by the wet and cool growing conditions are becoming evident. Dodds said he has not heard about any widespread problems, just a few cases of ear molds showing up.
This is a year when farmers who used fungicide on their corn will see their plants stay healthy longer, he added.
Farmers who see damage should remember to report it to their crop insurance adjuster, he said.
“I’m crossing my fingers that these are isolated instances,” Dodds said. Time will tell.”
Soybeans will be an interesting crop to harvest as well. Sudden death syndrome started showing up in some fields in mid-to-late-August.
“The earlier it sets in, the more damage it causes,” Dodds said. “Inset in July will cause an 8 to 10 percent yield reduction. In August, it could be 4 to 6 percent damage.”
ISU pathologists are saying that farmers may be able to control the particular pathogen that causes sudden death syndrome by reducing the amount of corn that escapes from combining during harvest.
“They need to try to really make sure they don’t leave a lot of corn on the ground,” Dodds said. “That’s very interesting. Not only will they have more yield, but it could cut down on overwintering SDS.”
No Lee County yields were posted last week, but the U.S. Department of Agriculture has estimated a 52 bushel per acre yield for Iowa.
“That’s a high number, which is all I’m trying to say,” he said. “I have only seen a few fields of early maturing soybeans combined in Lee County and the producers have reported yields that are ‘pretty good.’ That usually means yields in the 50s.”
The predicted national bean yield is at 42.3 bushels to the acre, up six bushels from 2008.
Aphids have zeroed in on late planted soybeans – beans that were planted toward the end of June and beginning of July, and white mold is showing up in soybeans.
“It looks like you attached small amounts of cotton on the stems,” Dodds said. “We’ve seen most of that in Northern Lee County. The plant dies from the top down. Over the last two to three weeks that has been a problem here. It goes back to wet corn leaves until noon and then dew coming on by 6 p.m.”
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