Early Corn Yields Impressive in Most Areas

Early Corn Yields Impressive in Most Areas

Harvest progress was made over the weekend and continues as we start the week. Early yields are proving to be a surprise for many growers. “The yields are outstanding,” said Andrew Ferrel with DuPont  Pioneer. “In the coffee shop you can hear talk of 260 to 270 bushel corn and up to 90 bpa on soybeans.”  He added that, even in areas that suffered from drought stress and yield expectations were low, “We are running above average.”

The high temperatures and strong breezes are also helping with dry down. “I am getting reports of 20% and above on some full season hybrids; and, in some of the shorter season types, it is down to about 18%,” he said. According to Ferrel, moisture is dropping about 1% per day with current weather conditions.

However, in some fields there are concerns with stalk quality. “Especially where we had drought stress and northern corn leaf blight. We also saw a lot of gray leaf spot come in during grain fill, and that is where we are seeing it the worst,” Ferrel told HAT. He said, in these areas, the stalks are fragile and will not last long. He urges growers to prioritize fields and work those with poor stand quality first.

Follow Harvest 18 here on Hoosier Ag  Today.