Saved by the Scouts: May 21-25, 2018

“Saved by the Scouts” is our weekly crop report, highlighting the observations of our crop scouts. This week, our crop scouts saw some weed pressure among the accelerated corn and soybean growth. Tune in to our blog or social media each week to see the latest crop conditions for our territory.  We are excited to see this growing season progress and hope you find the information to be beneficial. 

Staging:

Emergence in both corn and soybeans has been consistent within fields and stand counts are looking strong. This week, corn was staged between V2 – V4 and soybeans were at stages VE-VC.

Weeds:

We continued to see giant ragweed across the territory. Leaves are slightly hairy with 3-5 lobes, and have a course and hairy stem. Giant ragweed responds well to early herbicide treatment, and control at these young stages is vital.

Velvetleaf seedlings were also a common sight this week. They can be identified by their heart-shaped leaves and small soft hairs that cover the whole plant.

Other weeds we found include marestail and field horsetail.

Insects:

Insect pressure was very low again, however white grubs are still on the radar. Treatment should be considered later in the season as they transition to Japanese beetles.

Plant Conditions:

Some corn plants showed yellow and brown colored abrasions. While they may look like signs of disease, that is very uncommon this early in the season. These marks are most likely from chemical burn, or scratches from wind-blown sediments. Watch for new growth to ensure the upcoming leaves are healthy.

Another common sight in corn was purple-colored stems. This is due to nutrients being produced faster than the plant can grow and utilize the nutrients. The plant will grow out of it, and it is not a cause for concern.

To Watch For:

Next week, the Southern area of our territory is expected to reach stage V6. At this stage, the growing point is above ground, making the plant more fragile and inhibits regrowth. Be sure to watch for this upcoming stage.

Although we haven’t seen them yet, black cutworms are an ongoing concern. Larvae cause wilting, discoloration, and damage to leaves. Continue to scout for black cutworms until corn reaches stage V5.

Continue to watch weed pressure, and work to keep weeds under control in these early stages.

Thank you for tuning in to this week’s edition of Saved by the Scouts. If you have questions or concerns, reach out to your Stutsman Agronomist.