More in The 2012 Drought

Jun. 4, 2012

blog

Crops off to good start while dry weather persists

It is much easier to have a good finish when one gets off to a good start. The 2012 corn crop is certainly off to a great start. Our corn was planted early and avoided frost. Today it has a wonderful-looking, uniform stand of healthy plants. Our corn should pollinate before the July heat....More
May 24, 2012

Article

Soybean planting and dry soils

University of Illinois crop sciences professor Emerson Nafziger was recently asked whether it is a good idea to plant soybeans into dry soil. “It’s a fairly common question, especially with soybeans, because they’re more likely to be planted late, when soils are dry, and also because soybeans need to take on more water to germinate than corn seed does,” he said. Soybean seed also does not draw water quite as strongly as corn seed does. ...More
May 24, 2012

Article

Dry weather and corn roots

In better-watered areas of Illinois where the corn crop is well established, the return of warm temperatures has caused very rapid growth. Corn planted in central Illinois in mid-March and not damaged by frost has accumulated about 900 growing degree days (GDD) by now and, thus, has reached stage V9 or V10, the point at which stem elongation accelerates. Such fields will likely show tassels by mid-June. Corn planted in early April has accumulated about 650 GDD and is at V7. Corn planted in mid-April is at V5, having accumulated approximately 520 GDD. ...More
Aug. 9, 2011

video

Farm Industry News

Agricultural crops keep up with slow rate of climate change

A panel of science fellows found "unequivocal" evidence that climate change is occurring. David Gustafson, senior fellow with Monsanto, was part of the panel and explains how climate change started occurring in the 1960s....More
Aug. 5, 2011

video

Farm Industry News

Total weather crop insurance from WeatherBill

WeatherBill's total weather crop insurance covers the top end of a crop's yield that is not covered under federal crop insurance....More
Aug. 2, 2011

Article

Team FIN Report: Heat, drought and weeds hurt Ohio crops

A Team FIN farmer reports on Ohio fields, which show damage done by hot, dry weather and tough weeds like Curly Dock and marestail....More
Jan. 18, 2008

article

Farm Industry News

Syngenta-AgroFresh alliance

Two leading chemical companies are working to develop and commercialize what’s being called a unique post-emergence...More