Pollination progress in Iowa

Matt Welte of Woodbury County raises dryland corn and soybeans in northwestern Iowa where drought has been plaguing farmers most of the season. Last Thursday’s drought monitor showed D3 extreme drought in the area for the sixth straight week.

Welte’s fields are spread over a 25-mile radius and crop conditions vary greatly, he says. He’s pleased with the crops closest to his home in Danbury.

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“Potential is still very high for the subpar conditions we’ve had,” he says. As the crop moved through pollination there were several hot days, but cooler evening temperatures were helpful. 

“Everything I’ve picked so far and opened up looks like it pollinated really well,” Welte says, estimating the crop will be within 10 to 20 bushels of average. “I’m pretty happy with the way it looks for the year we’ve had.”

Photo credit: Google Maps

Further west in Woodbury County, fields closer to Hornick missed out on some rains. “That corn really was behind. It still pollinated pretty well, but it was starting to fire up. The leaves were rolled in the mornings,” Welte reports.

The drought monitor released August 2 indicates more than 3% of the state is in D3 extreme drought. D3 covers all of Plymouth County, parts of Sioux, Ida, and Monona counties, and the very southwestern corner of Cherokee County.

The area of D2 severe drought has increased to cover nearly 6% of Iowa. These conditions are concentrated in the northwestern part of the state and impact portions of 13 counties.

D1 Moderate drought spans many southern counties as well as the northwest, covering more than 20% of the Hawkeye state.

Photo credit: U.S. Drought Monitor

Abnormally dry conditions are present across nearly 30% of Iowa.

Just under 40% of the state is free of moisture stress.

USDA’s Crop Progress Report released Monday indicated topsoil moisture condition in Iowa is 20% very short, 30% short, 48% adequate, and 2% surplus. Iowa subsoil moisture condition was rated 19% very short, 33% short, 47% adequate, and 1% surplus.

Iowa's crop progress

Corn condition in Iowa was rated 1% very poor, 5% poor, 21% fair, 57% good, and 16% excellent.

Monday’s report said 93% of Iowa corn is silking, slightly behind the five-year average of 95%, and up 6% from the week prior. Last year at this time 95% of Iowa’s corn was slilking.

USDA reported 53% of Iowa corn is at dough stage, slightly ahead of the five-year average of 51%. Last year at this time 61% of Iowa’s corn had reached dough.

Iowa’s corn is 5% dented, slightly behind the five-year average of 6%. Last year at this time 10% of Iowa’s corn was dented.

The same report rated Iowa soybean condition 1% very poor, 5% poor, 23% fair, 56% good, 15% excellent.