Indiana’s crop and drought conditions have improved significantly as more timely rains have fallen across the state over the past few weeks.
“I still think we have full yield potential in corn,” says Levi Riggs—a Specialty Hybrids dealer with Riggs Ag Solutions based out of Hendricks County.
How are corn crops looking north of Indianapolis?
“The corn is really short. All the heat stress that we had in June played an impact with that,” according to Riggs. “I would say we are about 95% pollinated in corn in our area. We had some hail, so we’ve kind of been dealing with some hail issues both in corn and soybeans.”
“I would just really be proactive and get a really good fungicide out there on corn,” says Riggs. “Right now, we’re relatively clean, but with the hot and dry forecast that we have coming up, I expect Tar Spot to really rear up.”
How about soybeans across central Indiana?
“I think we have a really good-looking soybean crop so far, but Frogeye leaf spot is a disease that can really take ten-percent off the top quick, so that’s something that has been in our area,” Riggs says. “It’s on my mind because I’ve had what I thought would be 80-bushel beans turn into 65-bushel beans. I want to try to avoid that, so I want to hit those with a fungicide as well.”
Are there any other stresses impacting corn and soybean crops this growing season?
“Yeah, I’m noticing a lot of Japanese beetles this year—much more than than normal,” says Riggs. “We’ve seen a lot more Rootworm beetles as well, so throwing in an insecticide out there too is not a bad idea. I definitely expect with the humidity that’s coming with the heat we will see a lot more disease.”
According to the latest USDA Crop Progress Report, 61 percent of Indiana’s corn and 59 percent of the state’s soybeans are rated in good-to-excellent condition.
Click below to hear C.J. Miller’s radio news report for Hoosier Ag Today.
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This update is sponsored by Specialty Hybrids. At Specialty Hybrids, it’s your field, our Specialty. Find your local field sales representative and dealer online at www.specialtyhybrids.com.