July 2020 Crop Progress Report
Aug 02, 2020
The finish line is in sight! While closer for some southern states than others , overall the crops are looking promising across GreenPoint AG’s 7-state footprint. This all makes sense , with most areas seeing little to no disease or insect pressure this season and the lack of pest pressure and timely rains or irrigation paying off. As you continue to work your way through 2020 , be sure to follow along with our in-season crop progress reports. Each month , we’ll feature what’s happening in various areas across the acres we service.
Northeast Arkansas
The corn has dented , and combines are cranking up for the growers with dryers according to Turner Meurrier , Location Manager at GreenPoint AG in Hughes. Meurrier says , “Most growers have another 10 days to 2 weeks left to water corn , but those that plan on drying are ready to roll as moisture sits around 28%.” The season is shaping up for a good harvest all around , but when talking with Meurrier , he’s especially excited about the yield estimates he has taken on corn as it is some of the best he has seen in a long time. As for rice , the acres around Hughes are about 15% headed with the rest still in boot , but it is expected to see 100% of the acres to head out over the next 10 days. As cotton finishes putting on the last blooms that will turn into harvestable bolls , no uncommon nutrient deficiencies are being observed. Potash deficiency has shown up per usual , but otherwise , plants should stay healthy as long as the worm pressure stays low and no late-season disease sets in. This should bring about excellent yields on the lighter soils and average yields on the medium to heavy soils. Meurrier does caution growers to keep their eyes open for insects , especially worms , to move from corn over to cotton and beans once harvest begins , especially as worms at threshold were found for the first time this year just this week. Soybeans are averaging around R4 with the exception of the 20% of acres that were planted late or wheat beans that are staging at R1. With no rain in the area the entire month of July , irrigation is wide open and necessary to finish out the soybeans that are looking spectacular.
North Louisiana
Irrigation in North Louisiana has been shut off where the majority of growers are ready for the corn crop to dry down enough to harvest. However , some high-moisture harvesting is taking place in corn with acres coming in around 17-20%. According to Scott McKay , Location Manager at GreenPoint AG in Delhi , the soybean crop is looking “scary good” which he attributes to the timely rains or irrigation and the lack of major pest pressure this season. “We’ve seen a few red-banded stinkbugs in beans and plant bugs in cotton , but overall , insects haven’t been out of control ,” says McKay. McKay encourages growers to scout for worms and watch thresholds on the late-planted soybeans as corn harvest picks up. Rice acres are predominantly in the boot stage but should be heading in the next 10-14 days. Potential cotton yields are looking strong as growth has been well-controlled and bolls are stacked. As growers prepare for harvest , McKay suggests reaching out for combine calibration to ensure accurate yield data collection.
North Mississippi
The story has been a little different in North Mississippi when compared against its irrigated counterparts of the Delta. “It’s hot and dry ,” shared Wyatt Huffman , Sales Agronomist out of GreenPoint AG’s Houston location. “While some corn has reached black-layer , the majority of corn acres around Houston are passing out of milk and into the dough stage , and some rain would be welcomed.” Huffman also shared that there has been very little disease or insect pressure outside of a little bacterial blight in cotton that creates no cause to worry and a few small pockets of aerial web blight in soybeans. That being said , Huffman encourages growers to scout for red-banded stink bugs and worms over the next 15-30 days. “We’re just now starting to see a few stinkbugs on soybeans and really no worms yet , but it’ll be vital to watch out for them as we start adding on pods and filling bolls ,” shared Huffman. With cotton in mid-bloom , tissue samples are showing deficiencies in potassium and magnesium as nutrients move from the leaves to the bolls. Though most soybean acres have received R-stage fungicide applications , there are some late-planted fields that are staging around V6. Where these acres are dealing with glyphosate-resistant goose grass , Section® 3 by WinField® United is offering good control.
West Tennessee
The crops are progressing nicely in West Tennessee , especially for the 75% of acres surrounding Covington where timely rains have paid off this season. The other 25% are predominantly down in the river bottoms where it has been hot and dry , and the crops could stand a drink of water. According to Todd Rankin , Sales Agronomist at GreenPoint AG in Covington , “Soybeans are starting to fruit with most plants in the R3/R4 range. We have 18 to 19 nodes on cotton , and we’re waiting on the corn to dry down.” Fungicide applications for soybeans are occurring as you read this. Rankin shared he is hardly seeing any stinkbugs , but growers are still working to keep kudzu bugs and plant bug numbers at bay. Last week’s bollworm/moth trap counts were low , but Rankin encourages growers to hop in the truck over the next 10 days as this is the time of year when numbers start to spike. A small number of loopers have been found and should be closely watched to hit threshold numbers as many are resistant to pyrethroids and can become hard to keep under control.
Northeast Arkansas
The corn has dented , and combines are cranking up for the growers with dryers according to Turner Meurrier , Location Manager at GreenPoint AG in Hughes. Meurrier says , “Most growers have another 10 days to 2 weeks left to water corn , but those that plan on drying are ready to roll as moisture sits around 28%.” The season is shaping up for a good harvest all around , but when talking with Meurrier , he’s especially excited about the yield estimates he has taken on corn as it is some of the best he has seen in a long time. As for rice , the acres around Hughes are about 15% headed with the rest still in boot , but it is expected to see 100% of the acres to head out over the next 10 days. As cotton finishes putting on the last blooms that will turn into harvestable bolls , no uncommon nutrient deficiencies are being observed. Potash deficiency has shown up per usual , but otherwise , plants should stay healthy as long as the worm pressure stays low and no late-season disease sets in. This should bring about excellent yields on the lighter soils and average yields on the medium to heavy soils. Meurrier does caution growers to keep their eyes open for insects , especially worms , to move from corn over to cotton and beans once harvest begins , especially as worms at threshold were found for the first time this year just this week. Soybeans are averaging around R4 with the exception of the 20% of acres that were planted late or wheat beans that are staging at R1. With no rain in the area the entire month of July , irrigation is wide open and necessary to finish out the soybeans that are looking spectacular.
North Louisiana
Irrigation in North Louisiana has been shut off where the majority of growers are ready for the corn crop to dry down enough to harvest. However , some high-moisture harvesting is taking place in corn with acres coming in around 17-20%. According to Scott McKay , Location Manager at GreenPoint AG in Delhi , the soybean crop is looking “scary good” which he attributes to the timely rains or irrigation and the lack of major pest pressure this season. “We’ve seen a few red-banded stinkbugs in beans and plant bugs in cotton , but overall , insects haven’t been out of control ,” says McKay. McKay encourages growers to scout for worms and watch thresholds on the late-planted soybeans as corn harvest picks up. Rice acres are predominantly in the boot stage but should be heading in the next 10-14 days. Potential cotton yields are looking strong as growth has been well-controlled and bolls are stacked. As growers prepare for harvest , McKay suggests reaching out for combine calibration to ensure accurate yield data collection.
North Mississippi
The story has been a little different in North Mississippi when compared against its irrigated counterparts of the Delta. “It’s hot and dry ,” shared Wyatt Huffman , Sales Agronomist out of GreenPoint AG’s Houston location. “While some corn has reached black-layer , the majority of corn acres around Houston are passing out of milk and into the dough stage , and some rain would be welcomed.” Huffman also shared that there has been very little disease or insect pressure outside of a little bacterial blight in cotton that creates no cause to worry and a few small pockets of aerial web blight in soybeans. That being said , Huffman encourages growers to scout for red-banded stink bugs and worms over the next 15-30 days. “We’re just now starting to see a few stinkbugs on soybeans and really no worms yet , but it’ll be vital to watch out for them as we start adding on pods and filling bolls ,” shared Huffman. With cotton in mid-bloom , tissue samples are showing deficiencies in potassium and magnesium as nutrients move from the leaves to the bolls. Though most soybean acres have received R-stage fungicide applications , there are some late-planted fields that are staging around V6. Where these acres are dealing with glyphosate-resistant goose grass , Section® 3 by WinField® United is offering good control.
West Tennessee
The crops are progressing nicely in West Tennessee , especially for the 75% of acres surrounding Covington where timely rains have paid off this season. The other 25% are predominantly down in the river bottoms where it has been hot and dry , and the crops could stand a drink of water. According to Todd Rankin , Sales Agronomist at GreenPoint AG in Covington , “Soybeans are starting to fruit with most plants in the R3/R4 range. We have 18 to 19 nodes on cotton , and we’re waiting on the corn to dry down.” Fungicide applications for soybeans are occurring as you read this. Rankin shared he is hardly seeing any stinkbugs , but growers are still working to keep kudzu bugs and plant bug numbers at bay. Last week’s bollworm/moth trap counts were low , but Rankin encourages growers to hop in the truck over the next 10 days as this is the time of year when numbers start to spike. A small number of loopers have been found and should be closely watched to hit threshold numbers as many are resistant to pyrethroids and can become hard to keep under control.