(Spencer)– Most of the region has picked up a substantial amount of rain in the past day or so, and Paul Kassel, an agronomist with Iowa State University Extension and Outreach says it’s just what the doctor ordered…
“It takes about 20 inches of moisture, you know, either between subsoil moisture and rainfall to produce a corn or a soybean crop. So you, know, in some areas we only have six or seven inches of subsoil moisture we’re going to need 12, 13, 14 inches of precip through the summer, so. In May and June oftentimes we get, you know, maybe four or five inches each of those months, so this is a good start to get going in that way and to get that replenished and get that reserve built up a little bit so. Typically rainfall in August is maybe only a couple of inches so we need that reserve kind of built up to take us through those dry timeframes we often get in July and August.”
Kassel adds the timing couldn’t be better as crops start to emerge…
“There was corn and soybean seed in dry soil and soil that might have been worked a little too much because it had to be for various reasons, so this will really help solve some of those problems as well. Sure there’s going to be some uneven emergence or development but that’s better than none, you know, so that’s what we see there.”
On another topic, Kassel says producers also need to be on the lookout for any signs of pests…including black cutworms…
“You know we don’t expect any big problems with those and we have enough insecticide seed treatments and even the traits, the GMO traits for insect control help with the black cutworm but we still encourage people to check for black cutworm. We had some activity early in early April and later April as well so again, we don’t expect any huge issue but just encourage people to check for cutting and leaf feeding from black cutworm and just check that you don’t have any stand damage out there.”
Kassel says the recent rain will also help with the activation of certain herbicides.
Even though many areas experienced heavy downpours Wednesday, there were breaks in between and Kassel says he’s quite certain most of it did soak into the ground.
There were numerous reports in the area of one to two inches of rain, with up to three inches reported on the north side of Milford.
