Western Iowa corn, soy potential good

Crop scouts on the Western leg of the 2009 Pro Farmer Midwest Crop Tour Wednesday (August 19) evening reported good potential for corn and soy crops in western cropping districts of Iowa.

 

The tour findings were presented to over 200 local producers that assembled in Spencer, Iowa, to discuss the findings of the tour. Crop scouts on 9 different routes sampled 174 corn fields and 165 soy fields in southwest, west central and northwest Iowa on the third day of the tour.

 

The average corn yield for the southwestern 7th cropping district was reported at 183.53 bushels an acre, up 10.8 percent from the 165.67 reported for the district during last year tour. The yield for the west central 4th cropping district was reported at 189.79 bushels an acre, up 8.7 percent from 174.57 for the district during last year tour. The yield for the northwestern 1st cropping district was reported at 184.97 bushels an acre, up 8.7 percent from 174.73 for the district during last year tour.

 

Pro Farmer will release estimates for the entire state of Iowa Thursday evening.

 

Crop scouts were impressed with the yield potential of corn crops in western Iowa citing higher ear populations as key factors for the increase from year ago levels. US Department of Agriculture in its August 12 crop production report pointed to record ear populations for Iowa.

 

The jump in potential and yield is not surprising, with higher ear population illustrating western Iowa will push yields to challenge USDA August yield estimate for the state at 185 bushels per acre, said Chip Flory, editor Pro Farmer Newsletter and director of the western leg of the tour addressing the guests that had assembled.

 

The ear count in 60 feet of row for the southwestern 7th cropping district was reported at 92.31, up 2.3 percent from findings for the district during last year tour. Ear counts for the west central 4th cropping district was reported at 99.26, up 2.1 percent from findings for the district during last year tour. Ear counts for the northwestern 1st cropping district was reported at 102.95, up 4.9% from last year tour.

 

The general consensus of crop scouts was strong potential for the areas corn crop. Maturity levels were cited as minor issues, as the crop is running 10-days to 2-weeks behind in development, with maturity ranging from early dough to early dent.

 

The corn crop is behind in heat units, but maturity will be okay, as cool weather will help fill kernels, said Gary Wietgrefe, agronomist with NK Brand-Syngenta in Sioux Falls, South Dakota.

 

Scouts did report lodging and nitrogen losses in some fields observed, but based on potential and ample moisture the issues were seen as minimal.

 

Tour observations revealed the average soy pod count for the southwestern 7th cropping district was reported at 1,282.66 in a 3 foot by 3 foot plot, up 10.5 percent from findings for the district during last year tour. Pod counts for the west central 4th cropping district was reported at 1,234.07, up 11.6 percent from findings for the district during last year tour. The average of pod counts for the northwestern 1st cropping district was reported at 1,159.52, up 11.1 percent from findings for the district during last year tour.

 

The soy crop in western Iowa was seen as very consistent, with little disease pressure and good moisture setting the crop up for a great finish, said Terry Johnston, a tour consultant from Parkersburg, Iowa

 

Moisture is not an issue for soy crops this year in western Iowa, with only minimal infestations of aphids setting the crop up for potentially a record crop in Iowa, a farmer from Marshalltown, Iowa said while addressing the numerous guests at the evening wrap up session.

 

Overall, the soy crop has good vegetation, but this a crop that needs to get to Oct. 1 to not be impaired by a frost, said Chris Dowed, agronomist with Pioneer Hi-Bred International, Inc, told the group.

 

The western leg of the Pro Farmer Midwest Crop Tours treks into Minnesota corn and soy fields Thursday, with a final wrap-up session in Austin, Minnesota. The Pro Farmer tour also has an eastern leg, which began Monday in Columbus, Ohio. Both legs of the tour will converge in Austin, Minn., on Thursday.

 

On Friday at 2:30 p.m. EDT, Pro Farmer will release a crop estimate, but tour findings are only one part of their calculation.