Farmers in west-central Illinois and east-central Missouri are wrapping up the 2020 harvest, and many are seeing above-average corn yields, according to Matt Duesterhaus, Crop-Tech Consulting research agronomist.
“The growing season was excellent overall, a little dry in June, but we got some rain around the 4th of July that took us through pollination just fine,” Duesterhaus told Ken Ferrie, Farm Journal Field Agronomist, on this week’s Boots In The Field program.
This week, Duesterhaus was working with Ursa Farmers Cooperative, near Quincy, Ill., and some of their farmer customers.
Duesterhaus described the 2020 soybean crop as above average as well, but not delivering as strong of results as the corn crop.
“On the bean side, we’re seeing a lot of 60- and 70-plus yielding beans. Not a lot of 80- and 90-bushel bean averages, but still good yields,” he said.
He anticipates area farmers will plant more early season soybeans next April, prior to starting their corn planting.
“I think we’re chasing an additional 10 bushels with the early beans,” he told Ferrie.
Duesterhaus attributes some of the significant yield bump in early soybeans to plant health benefits derived from fungicide treatments.
“We’ve looked at beans in 30-inch rows, 15-inch rows, April planted and as late as May 30 planted beans, and we’re really seeing that yield response in the early beans. On our more productive soils, with a fungicide-insecticide combination, we saw 4-, 8- and 12-bushel responses,” he said. “In our May-planted beans we saw a 2- to 4-bushel increase with fungicide, which is still positive, but not like with the April beans.”
Moving forward this fall, Duesterhaus said he anticipates putting in more nitrogen plots. “We’ll set out this fall and look at some 100% anhydrous compared to some liquid programs that would be split up between being on the planter, sidedress or Y-drop,” he said, as a for instance. “Plots take time to do, but they can provide valuable information that can help you make better decisions moving forward.”
Duesterhaus added that area farmers interested in soil testing, putting in plots or learning more about the Crop-Tech agronomic program can reach out to Michael Hicks at the Ursa Farmers Co-op (217) 964-2111.
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