Figure 1. June 30 and July 1 driving route for crop report.
Platte River Valley (Fremont, Ames, North Bend)
Corn and soybeans on well-drained fields in the Platte River valley are in fair to good condition. Some corn fields will have visible tassels by next week (Figure 2). Soybeans that were planted early are about 1.5 ft tall and blooming (Figure 3). However, waterlogged conditions have negatively impacted a significant portion of the valley this year and these crops are in poor to fair condition. “Platte Valley Yellows” or iron deficiency chlorosis in soybeans is noticeable this year and highlighted in the recent broadcast by Market Journal. Some light hail damage occurred northeast of North Bend over the weekend (Figure 4).
Figure 2. Corn field near Fremont at the V16 growth stage that will be tasseling soon.
Figure 3. Soybean field northeast of North Bend
Figure 4. Slight hail damage northeast of North Bend
Central Upland Flats and Maple Creek (Located north and south of the Maple Creek along the Webster Rd and Co Road N)
The Maple Creek is still running high from record rainfalls across the county in June. Seed corn fields are progressing and companies are getting ready for the detasseling season (Figure 5). Crops along both County Road N and Webster Road are in fair to excellent condition, (Figure 6) except a pocket several miles east of Nickerson that is in poor to fair condition due to hail.
Second cutting of alfalfa started this week (Figure 7), which is the next most common crop after corn and soybeans in the county with about 3,500 acres. The second cutting for alfalfa is in good condition. I did notice some Stemphylium leaf spot (confirmed by UNL Plant Pathologist Stephen Wegul0) in alfalfa fields (Figure 7b). Stephen stated that Stemphylium leaf spot is caused by the cool temperature biotype of the pathogen. The disease is favored by wetness. Management options include: 1) Early cutting if severity is high enough to result in significant leaf loss, 2) For new stand establishments next year, check resistance rating on seed of cultivars and choose those rated to have some resistance. Only low to moderate levels of resistance exist. 3) Fungicide application may not be economical unless the crop is being raised for seed. UNL Entomologist, Tom Hunt, mentioned the need for scouting potato leaf hoppers this week also.
Bacterial blight (Pseudomonas savastanoi pv glycinea) in soybeans was very common across the county (Figure 8). The bacteria overwinters in crop residues and is favored by cool (70-80s), wet weather early in the growing season and is moved by wind and rain onto soybean plants into natural openings and wounds. Warmer and dryer weather will be a natural control mechanism. Fungicide applications will not be effective against a bacteria. For more information, visit the Plant Disease Central.
Figure 5. Seed corn field near Scribner Airbase.
Figure 6. Corn field in excellent condition along Hwy 79.
Figure 7. Second cutting alfalfa started.
Figure 7b. Stemphylium leaf spot in alfalfa.
Figure 8: Bacterial Blight in soybeans widespread across the county. For more information visit http://pdc.unl.edu/agriculturecrops/soybeans/bacterialblight
Elkhorn River Bottom (Scribner, Hooper, Winslow, Nickerson)
The Elkhorn River bottom have seen a lot of stress under these wet conditions with substantial amounts of standing and even running water in fields (Figure 9). Fields that are higher in elevation and drier in the floodplain are generally Cass or Janude soils that are sandier where N loss from leaching may become a concern in July. Overall, the crop condition ratings are very poor to good. Some small areas around Scribner have been replanted this year.
Figure 9. Water running out of a soybean field in the Elkhorn River bottom.
Northwest Rolling Hills/Pebble Creek (Snyder, Dodge)
The crop ratings for the Northwest Rolling Hills along Hwy 79 and 91 near Snyder and Dodge are in fair to excellent condition (Figure 10). Corn and soybeans have been mostly missed by severe hail events, but have seen some of the highest rainfall totals in the county with 18 inches in some location during June. At the location south of Snyder for the Soybean Management Field Days, 15” row beans have canopied the field (Figure 11) and soybeans are at the R1-R2 or beginning to full bloom growth stage. Crop water use from June 23 to 30 was 0.75” corn and 0.85” for soybeans. Soil watermark sensors have measured at or near field capacity or full moisture holding capability of the soil since installation on May 29th at all three depths of 12”, 24”, and 36”.
Figure 10. Corn field south of Snyder is 6 ft tall.
Figure 11. Comparison of canopy closure between 30″ vs. 15″ rows for the Soybean Management Field Day location near Snyder.
North-central Sand Dunes/Cuming Creek (North of Scribner)
The excessive rainfall has caused nitrogen deficiency (Figure 12) in many corn acres in this region. Sidedress nitrogen application or streaming on urea ammonium nitrate (28 or 32% UAN) with a highboy will still increases yields substantially at this point of the corn growth stage (V10-V14). Producers may consider earlier applications of nitrogen with their fertigation systems this year. The crops are in poor to fair condition in this area.
Figure 12. Nitrogen deficiency on Thurman loamy fine sands.
Northeast Rolling Hills/Logan and Clark Creek (Uehling)
The area hardest hit area by the June 3rd hail storm had additional hail over the last week (Figure 13). Quite a few farmers did abandon corn and replanted soybeans (Figure 14). Replanted corn has reach the V4 growth stage (Figure 15) and soybeans the V1-V2 growth stage. Unfortunately, flooding along the Logan Creek on June 16th negated replant efforts in some cases (Figure 16). As mentioned last week, cover crops may become a viable option to keep soils healthy this season for next year’s crop. Flooded soil syndrome can cause yield loss next year and can be mitigated by growing something this season. Soybean seedling disease continue in replant acre in this area. The crops are in a very poor to fair condition due to hail and flooding.
Figure 13. Hail damaged corn from a June 27th event.
Figure 14. Soybeans replanted into hailed out corn field.
Figure 15. Strip left of corn at the V11 growth stage surrounded by corn at the V4 or 4 collar leaf stage.
Figure 16. Flood damaged field along the Logan Creek.
Agronomic issues for this next week
- Pivot repair and replacement
- Volunteer corn and waterhemp control in soybean fields
- Mid-season nitrogen applications warranted on sandy soils
- Scout for corn leaf and bacterial diseases
- Scout alfalfa for potato leaf hoppers
- Bacterial blight in soybeans
- Stemphylium leaf spot in alfalfa
- Southern Corn Rootworm beetle around, but generally not a serious concern
Figure 17. South Corn Rootworm beetle near Hooper. UNL Entomologist, Bob Wright, stated that these beetles have a different life cycle from western and northern corn rootworms. They overwinter as adults in the southern US and may be found much earlier than northern and western corn rootworm adults. They do not cause economic damage to corn, and feed on a broader range of plants than the other corn rootworms.
Check in next week for the July 7th crop report for Dodge County.
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Cecilia,
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Nathan