Saved by the Scouts: May 28 – June 1, 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 and insect pressure. 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:
This week, corn was in stages V4-V6. At V6, the growing point is above ground, which inhibits regrowth after damage. Additionally, the tassel, all leaves, and ear shoots are initiated.
Soybeans were just emerging in some areas of our territory; meanwhile, earlier planted beans are at V2. Many soybean fields were showing uneven emergence, which is a common growth habit.
Weeds:
The most common weeds found this week include field horsetail, marestail, and giant ragweed. We also saw a small amount of common lambsquarter and redroot pigweed.
Insects:
This week, armyworm was found in corn, and they are more likely to be found in cover crop fields. They create damage by defoliating leaves, and treatment should be considered if more than 50% of leaves show fresh feeding.
Defoliation was seen in soybeans; however, we didn’t find the insect responsible for it. The defoliation could be from a variety of insects; including the grasshopper, Japanese beetle, clover worm, or bean leaf beetle. As soybeans progress through the vegetative stages, be ready to consider treatment if defoliation is above 40%.
Upcoming Events:
This upcoming week, we will be finishing up with weed identification and herbicide treatment in corn, as the canopy will be closing soon.
Be on the watch for symptoms of nutrient deficiency in corn. Common deficiencies include Phosphorus (P) where the plant turns purple, and Potassium (K), which is common in dry conditions.
Lastly, keep an eye out for insect pressure in both soybeans and corn.
Thanks 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.