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Harvest
time
By John
Fulton
[SEPT.
25, 2001] With
harvest having begun in earnest this past week, we are having the
yield results that everyone expected. That is to say that they are
highly variable. Take the corn yields that have been discussed. The
range that I have heard has been from 90 to 214 bushels per acre.
The 214 seems to be a more isolated yield, with other yields running
20 bushels under that. Most corn yields seem to be running from 120
to 170 bushels per acre, with areas that had rain on the upper end
and dryer areas running lower yield averages.
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With
soybean yields, the range of yields has been from 30 to 74 bushels
per acre. Both the top and the bottom yields of the range are
extreme. Most soybean yields have been from the low 40s to the low
50s, with rainfall and the relative maturity of the soybean having
the major influence on yields. This year the mid to late Group 3
soybeans seem to have a yield advantage because of rains that fell
very late in the growing season. The earlier maturing soybeans were
already mature when the rains fell. The earlier beans have also had
smaller seeds and lesser seed quality on the whole.
As
harvest continues, we’ll begin to get a better handle on where the
yields will settle. Of course the Illinois Department of Agriculture
will provide its county yield estimates in February. But in the end
we only tend to focus on our own farms and fields, as they are the
ones that have to pay the bills.
[to top of second column in
this article]
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Corn
borer survey
The
annual ritual of evaluating corn borer damage has begun in the
county. In fact, we are about to complete our field assignments.
Each year, we are asked to assess corn borer damage and counts in 10
fields. Last year the counts of overwintering corn borers were light
in the west area of the county and heavier to the east. This year
the counts seem to have averaged out with heavy populations in most
areas of the county.
Averages
thus far on the survey show about 80 percent plant infestation and
about two corn borers present per plant. Some plants that were
damaged had no borers currently in them, as the borers had moved on.
Other plants had as high as eight borers in one plant.
The
results of our county survey will be sent to campus to combine with
the other counties conducting surveys. This data collection helps
campus specialists with predictions for overwintering numbers and
potential damage for next year.
[John
Fulton]
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