Stutsman Scouting Report: June 19, 2019
Welcome to the first Stutsman scouting report of the season! This update highlights area crop conditions observed by our agronomy interns.While every spring has unique obstacles, this planting season goes down as one of the most challenging. Our territory saw excessive rainfall in May. In fact, May 15th and 16th were the only days that allowed for field activity.
Staging:
Corn staging ranges from VE-V8, depending on planting date. Likewise, soybeans are in stages VE-V4.
Weeds:
Some common weeds we’re seeing include giant ragweed, waterhemp, common cocklebur, and marestail.
Insects:
Black cutworms have been a frequent sight. They can be identified by a pale band on top of their body, two black stripes on their head, and uneven-sized spots. Watch for both above and below ground damage and contact your Stutsman agronomist for treatment thresholds (Integrated Pest Management).
Plant Conditions:
Our challenging spring conditions have raised concerns with the current crop. Excessive rain in May resulted in crusting, ponding and uneven stands.
Our grass waterways also suffered from the rainfall. Waterway maintenance, along with repairs to gullies and rills should be taken care of at the conclusion of this growing season.
Nutrients:
With the excess rainfall, the amount of nitrogen loss through denitrification is a concern. We suggest conducting nitrate tests and taking this into consideration as you sidedress. Keep an eye on sulfur levels as well.
Your crops can also benefit from Stimtide. Stimtide is a biostimulant shown to increase plant recovery from stress, boost metabolism efficiency, and improve nutrient uptake and use. In fact, 4 years of research trials showed a 7.2 bushel/acre increase in yield. Read more about Stimtide in our blog post here.
Other Considerations:
For the first time in many years, some acres have gone unplanted. For prevented plant acres, please reach out to our Agronomy team for weed control options as well as planting a cover crop for this season.
Thanks for checking into this Stutsman scouting report. For any questions or concerns, chat with your Stutsman agronomist.
“Integrated Pest Management.” Black Cutworm Pest Monitoring // Integrated Pest Managment, University of Missouri, University of Missouri, 17 June 2019, ipm.missouri.edu/pestMonitoring/bcw/index.cfm.