Corn and Grain Sorghum Update – Dr. Jason Kelley (Wheat and Feed Grains Specialist)
Corn harvested has started on a limited acreage in parts of South Arkansas and is still high moisture. Early estimates indicate good yields, but as harvest progresses, yields will likely be variable due to the excess water many fields had to endure earlier in the growing season.
Grain sorghum harvest has also started on limited amount of acres in Southeast Arkansas. It is still early, but initial harvest reports indicate good yields and quality. Harvest will likely become more widespread for corn and grain sorghum next week if good harvest conditions persist.
Corn and Grain Sorghum Research Verification – Kevin Lawson (Corn & GS Verification Coordinator)
All of the corn fields have finally reached irrigation termination. Only the Clay – Yount field needs one more irrigation, but that will finish it off. That field also received a propiconazole application for southern rust. The disease really blew up the last couple of weeks with the showers and hot weather the field got. Southern rust also blew up in the Clay-Woolverton field, but it was far enough along that the disease wasn’t going to affect it. The Pope County field was harvested for silage.
Sugarcane aphids are still in the Jefferson County grain sorghum field, but they aren’t bad enough to treat just yet. The field has heads that range from just flowered to starting to mature. The Prevathon did a good job on the headworms, and the beneficials are still active on the sugarcane aphid population that is there.
Southeast Arkansas Update – Wes Kirkpatrick (Desha County)
Harvest of both corn and grain sorghum has commenced.
Central Arkansas Update – Anthony Whittington (Jefferson County)
I am starting to see some corn being harvested in the county this week, with other fields nearing black layer. Some harvest aids on grain sorghum are going out, majority of the crop is turning that deep red color.
Northeast Arkansas Update – Stewart Runsick (Clay County)
The rainfall received over the past couple of days should finish out most of the corn and grain sorghum. Southern Rust is very active in later planted fields and fungicide applications have been made in a lot of those fields. Sugarcane aphids are being found in more fields. Nothing at treatment levels yet.
River Valley Update – Kevin VanPelt (Conway County)
The early planted corn has reached maturity and producers are just waiting for it to dry down to harvest. They’re close to being finished with irrigation on the later planted fields also.
Heat Units
Fields that were planted on March 30 should be at R6 (black layer) by now, so the accumulated heat units since March 30 row has been taken out of the table. The heat unit accumulations for this week were about the same as the 30 year average.
