Aug 03, 2022

2022 U.S. Corn Yield Lowered 1.0 bu/ac to 174.0 bu/ac

Author: Michael Cordonnier/Soybean & Corn Advisor, Inc.

The 2022 U.S. corn yield was lowered 1.0 bu/ac to 174.0 bu/ac and I have a neutral to lower bias going forward.

July ended on a dry note with a ridge building in the western Corn Belt bringing hot and dry conditions to the region. There has not been any excessive heat for the last week or two, but that is about to change this week, which could negatively impact some of the later pollinating corn. The soil moisture improved a little this week. but it will probably decline once again this week. This could cause some problems for grain filling in the dry western areas.

The 2022 U.S. corn rating was unchanged this week at 61% rated good/excellent. The corn is 80% silking compared to 89% last year and 85% average. The corn is 26% in dough compared to 35% last year and 31% average. The corn development continues to be slower than average, which is not good given the current weather in the western Corn Belt.

An additional concern for the corn are the high nighttime temperatures forecasted for the western Corn Belt. Any time the temperatures at night stay above 70-72°F, the corn plant expends energy maintaining itself (dark respiration) instead of using that energy to fill kernels. The result can be abortion of kernels at the tip of the ear, smaller than normal kernel size, and the corn maturing faster than normal. All these factors can result in lower yields.