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“They have been dry when the corn crop is trying to pollinate
and make grain. And that’s probably had an impact on the yield
there,” Mark Schleusener, Illinois state statistician of USDA
NASS, told The Center Square.
The Illinois Drought Monitor report released on Aug. 4 showed
that 75% or more of Champaign County experienced “severe
drought,” or D2 conditions, in July, he said.
LaSalle, McLean and Logan counties reported extremely dry
conditions in July, Schleusener said. Parts of Tazewell County
were also impacted.
Wet conditions this past spring meant a late start for planting
this year.
July's heat and drought affected younger corn and soybean
plants.
When developing plants endure both heat and lack of rain at the
same time, corn progression is affected, Schleusener said.
About 25 days after silking, a corn kernel’s milky inside starts
changing to a starchy, doughy consistency. Lack of rain impedes
that process. Without adequate moisture, not all the ears of
corn will develop to a healthy length of 8 to 9 inches.
Growing conditions were better last year, when Illinois had more
rain, Schleusener said. In spite of the lack of rain in a few
counties, crop conditions have been "pretty good" in Illinois so
far this year, he said.
“Every year there are some places that are too dry,” Schleusener
said. “Hopefully, where it is dry, the crops can manage it.”
Across the Illinois corn belt this summer, 75% of the crop is
rated in good to excellent condition, he said. For soybeans, 70%
were rated in good to excellent condition on Aug. 8.
Illinois farmers are in much better shape than farmers in
Missouri and Iowa where drought is more widespread, Schleusener
said.
“A fair amount of Missouri is in what they call ‘extreme
drought,’ a level worse that what we experienced in a small
portion of Illinois,” he said. “There’s a portion of Iowa in
‘extreme drought.”
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