Corn Crop in Jeopardy

The severe drought will expand, according to Dev Nyrogi, State Climatologist.  There is no relief in sight for rainfall in the next two weeks”, he said at a Drought Conference call to Purdue Extension Educators on June 26.  Our best hope for rain is from tropical systems, but that chance isn't very good, had added.

Most of the state's corn crop will be in the critical pollination stage during the first two weeks of July.  The corn crop is worse than it appears from the road, said Bob Nielsen, Purdue Corn Specialist. We are rapidly approaching the 1988 drought as far as severity on corn, the specialist said. Nielsen said he checked a pollinating corn field that didn't look too bad from the road, but when checking plants, the silks weren't out but most of the pollen was already shed. This delayed silk emergence combined with early pollen shed due to heat and drought, leads to a lack of pollination.  It is impossible to estimate yield loss until the green kernel stage, Nielsen added.  Corn tasseling became widely visable in Boone County by June 25th.

Soybeans are more adaptable, but some early planted beans have begun flowering. There will be much flower abortion due to lack of moisture, which means less pods, according to Shaun Casteel, Purdue Soybean Specialist. But, due to expanded flowering of soybeans versus corn, it will have later opportunities for seed set, whereas corn does not have that opportunity.

Between May 3 thru late-June most of Boone County has only received around an inch of rain. Normal rainfall for the two month period of May and June is 9.3 inches in Indianapolis.