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Central corn belt crops need an Indian Summer
An agronomist says while August heat helped dry crops quickly, cooler September conditions are slowing progress back down in some areas.
“Hopefully we get an Indian Summer to bring this crop along.”
Dana Harder covers Missouri and parts of western and southern Illinois for Burrus Seed. He tells Brownfield fields are about 35 heat units behind in his territory.
“Now if we still have that differential going into October, that almost doubles. When we are accumulating less heat, we are pulling less moisture out of that kernel.”
He says some farmers in his area have started harvesting early planted corn with moisture levels in the low 20’s.
“It’s few and far between but guys are getting ready to go. We just need to get some warmer weather and dryer conditions and see what it’s like.”
Harder says a late fall period of warm, dry weather is what later planted fields need to finish strong.
