Southeast Iowa Crop Conditions

Rain last week was mostly welcome as most areas southeast of Storm Lake saw around 2 inches starting Sunday night and finally ending on Wednesday. Some areas saw locally heavy amounts up to 6 inches. Temperatures have been mostly below normal for the last week and look to continue below normal this week. Low 70’s is very pleasant for us but warmer weather would be more beneficial for the crops as they inch closer toward maturity.

Corn has reached the dough-dent stage. Kernels are yellow and some are beginning to dent. Test weight is still being added. Plant health and weather will be the determining factors from here through maturity. Sun and warm weather are needed now as our moisture needs are more than met.

Soybeans are actively filling pods. The rain last week should have been beneficial as soybeans work hard to fill seeds. Soybeans now need the same thing as corn; warm and sunny weather. Plants that are able to add a few more pods near the top of the plant and fill them with seeds are usually the fields that go from average to above average.

Most soybean fields have been treated for soybean aphids. The remaining few that have not been treated are being watched closely.

Pro Farmer’s Crop Tour took place last week and estimated national corn and soybean yields at 164.3 and 46.5, respectively. The corn yield is 4.5 bushels lower than the recent USDA estimate. Soybean yield was about .5 bushels lower than USDA.