4 minute read
Notes on the 2023 Season
From getting calls at the beginning of the year asking questions to predict soybean yields, I would not have been as optimistic as I am now. The start of the year showed an extremely early drought where fields were sitting yet to emerge for weeks. Crop canopy was delayed and by mid-season, weed escapes from failed residual herbicide control became evident. Right until flowering it was tough to watch how fields were progressing. Once we hit late June, rains started coming sporadically across the state. ISA Outreach Agronomist Stephanie Porter, Illinois Extension Specialists and our Soy Envoys started recording ILSoyAdvisor Crop Reports of soybeans suffering from spider mites, cercospora leaf blight, and sudden death syndrome. The Crop Report has been a new addition to the ILSoyAdvisor page this year and has led to great insights across the state of what crop conditions at the agronomic level are occurring in real-time. Submitted by the state's leading field experts, regional reports relay the current conditions of corn, soybean, and wheat growth and development.
An example synopsis from Region 5, which includes Montgomery County, was documented on August 9: “Corn and soybeans are approaching the R5 growth stage. As I type this, we are finally getting a significant amount of rain. Dryer weather, hybrid resistance, and fungicide have kept diseases like gray leaf spot and tar spot at bay in corn. But Goss’ wilt and Northern Corn Leaf blight have just start- ed to show up. Soybeans are loving the rain and could have potential to yield if diseases stay away. One plant was found that had stem canker.” Other metrics within the report include weather, insect pressure, and weeds present. Crop reporting is one of our greatest ways to better understand what IPM (integrated pest management) needs are happening regionally, at what time, and at what thresholds.
Throughout the summer up until harvest, the team has hosted and partnered on countless field days talking with farmers about what we are seeing in the field. During those events the agronomy team is sharing what research is currently taking place at the university level and with our partners to study the current challenges we face in soybean production and projects to advance management systems on the farm. This fall after harvest we will be looking forward to learning from the results of those projects like Extension Educator Nathan Johanning’s project, understanding the importance of cover crop planting date in Illinois row crop production. From soil health to SCN (and many more), studies can be found on ILSoyAdvisor on our research page.
Moving into a new fiscal year, we are excited to be doubling the number of soybean production research projects that will enable Illinois soybean farmers to be the most knowledgeable and profitable soybean producers in the world.
At the time I’m writing this, most farmers we have talked to are considering getting into the field in late September starting with corn and soybeans soon to follow. Walking fields in the north- ern part of the state, fields look average, only seeing some affected with white mold at the tail end of reproductive stages. Follow our ISA agronomy team in the field as well as our partners across the state for field updates and harvest tips. We will be making posts and updates to ILSoyAdvisor and our socials; we'd love to see what your crops are looking like this harvest season as well!
Our next growing season starts early his fall, learning from cover crop studies that will be planted and tracked for additional insights on how to manage cover crop systems in Illinois.
Coming this winter, we hope to see you at events including the Soybean Summit and Better Beans event series which will highlight speakers and topics all relevant to soybean management, what we saw in the field, and how the lessons from this growing season will inform next year’s choices. We hope you’ll join us at these events, which provide a great opportunity to meet the ISA Agronomy Team, our state research partners, and your fellow Illinois soybean farmers. Stay up-to-date on these events at ILSoyAdvisor’s events page.
Please have a safe harvest and stay in touch with your ISA Agronomy Team. We are here to support you in the field.
