Sep 11, 2019
U.S. Corn Conditions down 3% due to Weather, lack of Nitrogen
Author: Michael Cordonnier/Soybean & Corn Advisor, Inc.
The condition of the corn crop declined 3% last week to 55% rated good to excellent. I think some of the decline can be attributed to some dryness in the central and southern locations. Kentucky is rated 61% short to very short, Michigan is 42%, Indiana is 39%, Illinois is 33%, and Iowa is 31%. Another part of the decline could be attributed to too much rain in the northwestern Corn Belt where South Dakota is 98% adequate to surplus, North Dakota is 91%, Nebraska is 90%, and Minnesota is 90%.
Additionally, it appears that some of the corn has run out of nitrogen and that is why the color is not a deep green, but instead a yellowish green. Some of the nitrogen was leached out earlier this summer due to the excessive rainfall and standing water. The lack of nitrogen could result in lighter kernels and increased tip-back on the ears.
The weather last week would had been better if it had been warmer. Those warmer temperatures are on tap for this week, which should help push along the development of the corn.
The 2019 U.S. corn crop is 89% dough compared to 99% last year and 97% average. The corn is 55% dented compared to 84% last year and 77% average. The corn is 11% mature compared to 33% last year and 24% average. The slowest developing corn continues to be in the eastern Corn Belt where the percent dented is running 32-39% behind average.