Saved by the Scouts: May 14-18, 2018
“Saved by the Scouts” is our weekly crop report, highlighting the observations of our crop scouts. This week, our crop scouts saw strong corn and soybean emergence and minimal pests. 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.
Planting progress:
Corn planting is coming to a close here in Eastern Iowa. As of May 21st, 86% of Iowa’s corn has been planted according to the USDA. Soybean planting progress is slightly behind that, with 58% of Iowa soybean acres planted.
Emergence:
We haven’t seen any emergence issues with corn, and stages range from V1-V3. For soybeans, radicles are emerging from the seed properly, and many areas of our territory are showing soybean emergence.
Rye Herbicide Treatment:
For our growers that use rye as a cover crop, burndown herbicide treatment has been successful. The cover crop is responding as expected, and crops are showing good emergence through the rye.
Insects:
Insects have been minimal, however white grubs have been found in both cover crop and bare fields. White grub can be identified by its white, c-shaped body and brown head. They eventually turn into Japanese beetles, so evaluation for treatment should be taken later in the season, in stages V8-R6.
Weeds:
Weeds in our territory have been minimal and are responding well to herbicide treatment. Common weeds seen last week include giant ragweed, dandelions, and field horsetail.
Up Next:
This upcoming week, there are several important things to watch for. Take a look at your stand counts, as they are a strong indicator of proper emergence. Keep an eye out for insects to ensure they do not overtake these early plants. Additionally, strive to keep weeds under control now, as they are easier to manage in these early stages.
This concludes your weekly report of Saved by the Scouts. Thanks for tuning in, and reach out to your Stutsmans agronomist if you have questions or concerns.