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Top Dieback or Top Leaf Death in Some Area Corn Fields

Recently I have been noticing a growing number of local corn fields are showing "top dieback" or the death of the top leaf (or leaves) of the corn plant. This can happen due to several causes. The cause that is worrying me and that I am noticing is a few scattered fields caused by Anthracnose. If...
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Crop Conditions in Central Illinois

Currently our corn and soybean crops look very good and the commodity traders at the Board of Trade seem to know this as well. New crop corn and soybean prices have fallen since their recent mid-June highs - $0.80 for corn and $1.30 for soybeans.As far as crop issues: Corn is looking good,...
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Field Happenings - May 25

Out in local fields, this week. If you are growing wheat this year and applied foliar fungicides to protect the flag leaf, then you did the right thing. The cool, wet start to May was a great environment for leaf diseases and the diseases are evident in local wheat fields.  In the attached...
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Farmers Might Face Tough Nutrient Management Rules

Today, I learned about the recent Supreme Court decision to uphold the USEPA plan to reduce nonpoint source pollution in the Chesapeake Bay. Over the past year, I have heard numerous speakers tell me that Illinois agriculture needs to follow the voluntary Illinois Nutrient Loss Reduction Strategy (...
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Successfully Terminating An Annual Rye Grass Cover Crop

Annual rye grass (ARG) is a popular choice by some for an over wintering cover crop. ARG is very good at scavenging excess soil nitrogen and it is excellent for breaking up deep soil compaction. However, its adaptability, quick establishment, and aggressive growth are also considered to be...
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Deep Soil Compaction - Is It Your Yield Thief?

Have you noticed that your field is not draining as fast as it did a decade ago? Do your yields vary greatly between a "dry" year and a "normal" one? Have you checked your soil for deep soil compaction or subsoil compaction? Compaction that is deeper than 8 inches. The use of heavier equipment,...
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Check Your Fields for Stalk Quality

From my recent visits to local corn fields, I have been surprised by the rapid decline in this year's crop quality. In a sampling of corn fields in an area that has not received the flooding rains that others have. 20-100 percent of the stalks FAILED the "push" strength test. As you might expect,...
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Nitrogen Deficiency and Disease Issues in 2015 Crops

I was out in area corn and soybean fields recently and the crops look good considering the growing season so far in 2015.Every corn field shows some signs of nitrogen deficiency and varying levels of foliar diseases. The yield estimates from these fields look to be be good, but there is a lot of...
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