Episode 18 of Battle for the Belt is now available: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=G1ht5SvBiRg
In Episode 18, we talk with Alex Lindsey, Crop Ecophysiology, about recent weather and the effects of weather on our growing crops. Click here for more information on the effect of the haze on crops.
Battle For the Belt Location Updates
The rain and heat from the end of June and first week of July encouraged growth for both corn and soybeans at the Northwest and Western Research Stations. According to Table 1, Northwest and Western increased in GDDs more in the last week compared to previous week reports earlier in the season. Soil temperatures at 2-inch depth at the Northwest branch reached a high of 92°F, the hottest we have seen all summer. Soybean flowering has occurred throughout planting date one and two at Northwest and Western, marking the beginning of the reproductive stages. Planting date one in corn is getting close to entering reproductive stages at Northwest and Western. More time needed at Wooster since this site has accumulated fewer GDDs.
At the Wooster location there was evidence of possible slug damage on the lower leaves of corn but no significant insect or disease damage at this location. Corn stages for planting date one, two, three, four, and five are V9, V8, V7, V6, and V2, respectively. A few soybeans within the first planting date had flowers but the majority were at V9 stage. The stages for planting date two, three, four, and five are V7, V6, V3, and VC, respectively.
At the Western Research location, planting dates one and two in soybeans reached canopy closure and were at R2 and R1, respectively. The stages for planting date three, four, five, are V8, V5, and V2. The stages for corn at Western were V14, V11, V9, V8, and V5 for planting date one, two, three, four, and five.
At the Northwest Research Station, corn is getting close to tasseling in both planting date one and two.. The stages for planting date one, two, three, four, and five are V14, V13, V11, V8, and V5. The soybeans in planting date one and two have reached R2 and R1 (Figure 1) in the past week and have achieved canopy closure. The stages for planting date three, four, and five are as follows: V10, V8, and V3.
This research project includes five planting date windows, 1) Ultra early = late March to early April; 2) Early = mid to late April; 3) Normal = early to mid-May; 4) Late = late May-first week of June; and 5) Very late = mid to late June. As of today, all locations have all five planting dates planted, emerged, and actively growing (Figure 2).
Keep following the ‘Battle for the Belt’ this growing season to learn more and get further updates! You can find the full video playlist of Battle for the Belt on the Ohio State Agronomy YouTube channel.