AGRONOMIC UPDATE – September 6, 2022….Late in the 4th quarter of the game now…

Harvest is around the corner….but irrigation season is not quite done….

Topics:

Growing Degree Day Update/Weather Update
Current Corn Conditions….
Prioritizing Harvest!
Current Soybean Conditions….

As of September 5th, we have accumulated approximately the following for Growing Degree Units in 2022:

Planting Date GDU’s2021 Average GDU Departure from average

April 21 2698 2575 +123 (+6 days)

April 28 2632 2525 +105 (+5 days)

May 9 2569 2431 +138 (+7 days)

We have gained a little ground since the last update in mid-August. We are really a solid week ahead of the average. Current seven day forecast should net us another 120 GDUs.

The above maps are temperature and precipitation forecasts for the next 6-10 and 8-14 days. As you can see, the pattern is very similar to what we have been experiencing all summer. The should move the crop along quickly….maybe too quickly in some cases….

The above maps are the Monthly and Seasonal temperature and precipitation forecasts. If these forecasts hold true, harvest should begin in a timely fashion and should be an open one. However, not much to help out our dire precipitation needs. I also would not ‘hold-my-breath’ on these either….

Current Corn Conditions…..

Much of the corn crop is as follows: April planting dates – 103-110 day hybrids at 1/2-3/4 milk lines with 112-118 day hybrids at 1/4 to 2/3. May planting dates are 1/4 to 1/3 for the most part. Majority of crop is 1/3 to 2/3 milk line. Most fields will take another 7-14 days to finish, meaning we are still seeing an extended grain fill period even though we are further ahead than normal by the raw GDU numbers.
Staygreen in the irrigated is holding up for now, but starting to see some ears droop on the irrigated, along with very late-season N deficiency, especially in the later-planted fields.
Sunlight: We have been slightly (3-4%) above normal for sunlight over the last 45 days. Just for comparisons sake, this is less than what we had in 2012 by quite a ways. We are running ahead of 2021, however. Sunlight plays a huge role in grain yield (kernel size…test weight, etc.) and plant health. Having above normal sunlight is always a positive thing….
On the flip side, 2022 has been as warm as 2012 for temperatures.
Disease: Relative Humidity during the grain-fill period has been 8% below normal. 2012, by comparison, was 12%+ below normal during this time period. This has had a positive impact on overall disease outbreak. We are seeing very little for white mold versus past years, while most corn fields are clean yet. Just starting to see Gray Leaf Spot show up, which is very late.
Currently we are looking at a good quality irrigated corn crop….kernel depth and grain color look very good overall at the present time.
Watering: The low RH has been a negative to ET rates over the grain-fill period…and really all year. Since January 1st total ET has been 45.03″. Contrast this to the normal of 29.88″ and one sees how dry we have been. Total ET rates over the last 45 days have averaged .05″/day above normal. Table below shows the approximate amount of water needed to reach maturity. Keep in mind that temperatures and Relative Humidity play a role in these amounts. Most all fields are still needing more water….

Prioritizing Harvest!

2022 crop has had its fair share of stress this year. As such, we could have a higher probability of more risk from stalk rots than we have experienced over the last few years. Stalk rots appear each year with varying degrees of severity. They are caused primarily by fungi and bacteria, but they can also result from environmental stresses (such as drought stress). When these diseases or conditions happen they weaken or destroy vascular tissue in the stalk, leading to the plant being unable to transport water or carbohydrates effectively, which ultimately results in premature plant death and reduced grain fill. With this being said, keep in mind dryland acres and corners as these will be some of the first to lodge or to drop ears from moisture stress….may want to harvest the corners ahead of time. Overall, the potential for increased severity of stalk rots is higher in 2022 than the previous few years from the combination of stresses experienced in 2022. Watch for those fields that lose staygreen quickly, or that have ears drop suddenly, as these are signs of premature death of the plant.

Current Soybean Conditions…..

Soybeans are quickly turning in much of the area. Much of the crop is in the late-R6 stage of growth. It is possible that some irrigated acres could be ready to harvest in the next 10-14 days. Dryland corners are also turning fast now, keep these in mind for possible early harvest as well. The early-group II soybeans are moving along quickly now.
Disease: Sudden Death Syndrome (SDS) continues to spread in the area. We see more of this disease year-over-year. This is a disease that can be controlled with ILeVo seed treatment. Sudden Death Syndrome in Soybeans
Dectes Stem Borer. This insect enters the plant at a node and proceeds to ‘hollow out’ the stem leading to early plant death. So far not much one can do in the way of management for this insect yet. We saw a high incidence of this insect in our area last year. Expectations are that we will have the same or higher levels this year. Keep this in mind as harvest approaches….timely harvest will limit the economic impact of this insect.
For more info see the following link….Dectes Stem Borer in Soybeans
The picture below shows the stage of growth for early R6 soybeans through R7. The chart below shows water needs to finish for soybeans. Most fields are in the R6.5 to R6.8 stage at present which still means 2-3″ of water to finish.

2022 Yield Data

Please check this website throughout harvest and this winter for local area yield data. We will continue to text yield results as they come out, but they will also get posted here for timely and organized viewing. The data will be under Ag Update – Harvest Data. Please contact us if you would like help calibrating your yield monitor and/or want a yield check!

Thanks for giving us the opportunity to be a part of your farming operation!

Starman Seed Service, Inc.