In Monday’s Crop Progress report, Indiana corn was rated 74% good-to-excellent, a 2-point drop from a week ago. It was also a 2-point drop for Indiana soybeans. They’re rated 70% good-to-excellent.
Nationally, corn is rated 64% good-to-excellent. That 2-point increase from a week ago was highlighted by an 11% increase in the good-to-excellent rating for Illinois corn, bringing it to 79%.
Soybeans held steady at 60% good-to-excellent despite the Illinois soybean rating also moving 11 points higher to 78%.
Dry, hot weather depleted soil moisture reserves, according to Nathanial Warenski, State Statistician, USDA NASS, Indiana Field Office. Soil moisture levels decreased from the previous week, with 65 percent of topsoil moisture reported as adequate or surplus.
The average temperature for the week was 71.1 degrees Fahrenheit, 1.8 degrees below normal for the State. The amount of rainfall varied from 0.00 to 1.54 inches over the week. The statewide average precipitation was 0.24 inches. There were 6.4 days suitable for fieldwork for the week ending August 8.
Topsoil moisture levels reported as adequate or surplus dropped 16 points from the previous week. Irrigation systems were utilized to combat depleting soil moisture levels. Coarse soils in unirrigated areas had been the most stressed during the past week. While soybean crops in soggy, low lying areas benefitted from them moisture depletion somewhat, corn and double cropped soybeans were beginning to show signs of stress due to a lack of moisture. Despite concerns, corn and soybean conditions remained mostly stable from the previous week with 74 percent of corn and 70 percent of soybeans rated in good to excellent condition. Progress for all developmental stages for both corn and soybeans were progressing ahead of their respective five-year averages. Dry weather spurred fieldwork as operators were busy with fungicide treatments, herbicide applications, hay harvesting and baling, roadside mowing, aerial cover crop seeding, field scouting, and pest identification. The State Fair was also in full swing last week.
Source: USDA NASS Indiana Field Office