Agronomist feels good about crop potential
CHENOA – After checking numerous fields in the area, Pioneer agronomist Cody Pettit feels good about the upcoming harvest season.
“One silver lining to the drought conditions we had is we don’t have the holes out there we normally have,” explained Pettit during the recent Atkins Seed Service plot night.
Pettit believes field yield averages will look good this fall, although he is unsure if growers will hit those 300-bushel pockets of corn with the combine.
“We’ve caught a lot of good rains post tassel then we’ve been really comfortable in August and that has been perfect for grain fill.”
We can likely expect really good kernel depth and test weight but there are a few reports of tar spot coming in. This is much later than last year’s tar spot outbreak is should not be as big of an issue. Pettit has not seen southern rust.
Pettit anticipates a Central Illinois harvest start time around Sept. 20-25 if weather patterns continue with highs in the middle 80s and lows in the 60s. The April planted corn was at about half milk line earlier in the week which means it is about 15 days to black layer. It takes around 30 GDU’s to dry a point.
The good news is plants are maturing properly this season as Pettit has not observed any “die and dry” corn.
Pioneer is excited about its soybean lineup as they will have a full selection of A Series Enlist soybeans next year along with some T Series beans to fill the gaps. On the corn side, popular 109-111 day varieties will have a large supply available.
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