Source: CoBank
The most recent Crop Progress report, covering the week ending July 20, held corn conditions steady at 74% good/excellent, 25% fair/poor, and 1% very poor. Iowa (86% GD/EX), North Carolina (83% GD/EX), Colorado (79% GD/EX), Missouri (79% GD/EX), and Pennsylvania (79% GD/EX) have the highest ratings. Michigan (50% GD/EX), Ohio (59% GD/EX), Indiana (60% GD/EX), Kansas (64% GD/EX), and Kentucky (67% GD/EX) have the lowest ratings. Physiologically, 58% of the corn crop is silking, compared to 34% the previous week and 58% for the five-year average and 14% is in the dough stage, compared to 7% the previous week and 12% for the five-year average.
There have been some reports about “overly tight tassel wrap” occurring throughout the Corn Belt, which impacts the plants’ ability to pollinate. Purdue University Extension describes the phenomenon as occurring where the “uppermost leaves, including the flag leaf, remain tightly wrapped around the developing tassel. As a result, the tassel emerges late and delays pollen shed, potentially disrupting the critical timing between pollen availability and silk receptivity.” Tassel wrap differs from twisted whorls in that it occurs later in the plants’ development or right around pollination. Tassel wrap tends to be triggered by fluctuations in temperature and moisture. Different hybrid varieties have also shown to be a key factor in tassel wrap. While there is no management practice or product that can correct the condition, it is important to monitor fields as yields can be impacted.
Soybean conditions declined by 2% this week, with the crop now rated as 68% good/excellent, 30% fair/poor, and 2% very poor. Louisiana (90% GD/EX), North Carolina (82% GD/EX), Iowa (80% GD/EX), Missouri (77% GD/EX), and Minnesota (75% GD/EX) currently have the highest ratings; while Michigan (48% GD/EX), Ohio (56% GD/EX), North Dakota (57% GD/EX), Indiana (60% GD/EX), and Illinois (60% GD/EX) have the lowest ratings. Physiologically, 62% of soybeans are blooming and 26% are setting pods. Both of these growth stages are consistent with their five-year averages for this time of year.
Winter wheat harvest is nearly three-fourths of the way done, with many of the top producing states around 90% harvested. Quality is still a concern for this crop as added moisture during the end of the growing season can affect protein, test weights and falling numbers. Spring wheat is now 87% headed, compared to 78% last week and 88% for the five-year average. Spring wheat conditions fell slightly week-over-week, with the crop now rated at 52% good/excellent, 45% fair/poor and 3% very poor.