Roundup of latest crop conditions, weather patterns and other seasonal updates.
Crops and pests
Wheat. Wheat in Michigan was rated at 58% "good to excellent" last week, with another 28% rated "fair." Fields in our region reached beginning flower stage (Feekes 10.5.1) early last week, with heads fully emerged and a few anthers showing in the middle of the head.
Optimal time for a fungicide application to protect the flag leaf and the head against Fusarium head blight, aka "head scab," is from the beginning of flowering until about 7 days thereafter. Currently, the risk of head scab is low for south-central Michigan for all but the most-susceptible wheat varieties.
Forage. Harvesting began over Memorial Day weekend as the hot, dry and windy conditions made for ideal hay-drying. Alfalfa fields varied in regard to development in the region, but first cutting has begun in many fields.
Reports of heavy alfalfa weevil feeding have come in from southeast and central Michigan, but harvesting early is the recommended method of control at this point. Early harvest usually prevents further loss due to feeding as the weevil larvae either will be killed during harvest or will fall onto the ground and starve after hay is removed.
For those considering making an insecticide application, check the pre-harvest interval (PHI) on the label to determine whether waiting that long is desirable to maintain forage quality.
Corn and soybeans. Planting continued to progress last week, with corn at 93% planted in the state, 11% ahead of the five-year average. Soybean planting is 11% ahead of the five-year average, with 84% planted. Emergence increased dramatically in the past two weeks, as expected, with 74% and 62% of the corn and soybean crop emerged, respectively, both of which are about 10% ahead of the five-year average.
Early-planted corn is around V4-V5 and soybean is at V2. Corn requires 200 to300 GDD50 to progress from V2 to V6 depending on relative maturity group. With only 100 GDD50 anticipated for the coming week, side-dress likely will not begin for another week or so.
Insects. Black cutworm and true armyworm catches were as low last week as they were the previous week, and traps for those species have now been retired for the season. No significant insect feeding has been reported yet in corn and soybean (only deer).
Weather
Temperatures during the last week of May were 5 degrees above normal, with 35 growing degree days (GDD, base 50) more than the five-year average and more than twice as many as we had for that time in 2021. We are nearly a week ahead on heat units for much of the region.