Much needed rain has been moving across Indiana this past week, and some areas of the state have received significant rain totals. Two Purdue experts says these rains may help improve corn and soybean yields. According to the latest USDA crop condition report, 9% of Indiana corn is rated as good while 16% of Indiana soybeans are rated as good. This is little changed from a week ago. National crop ratings also showed little change. But NASS officials indicated the recent rains should bring some improvement to crop and pasture conditions.
Purdue corn specialist Rob Nielsen says, for some corn fields, the late season rains may help yields, “In fields that still have green upper canopy and functioning root systems, they still have a few weeks to fill grain.” He told HAT he could not speculate on how much improvement there could be, but said, “At least it will not get any worse.”
There is even more hope for soybeans, according to Extension soybean specialist Shaun Casteel, “There is still a lot of potential for this soybean crop.” He said, in some fields, the rains may increase yields by 3 or 4 bpa. 