‘Don’t give up on the stand’: Agronomist shares update

ATLANTA, Ind. — As corn and soybean plants pop up across the state, don’t be too stressed out about uneven emergence, said Steve Gauck, field agronomist at Beck’s Hybrids.

“Don’t give up on the stand,” he advised, “especially early planted stands that are thin. Planting dates seems to trump population. So, don’t give up on it.

“We’ve had favorable summer weather the past few years. Keep scouting. Make management decisions based on what you find.”

Emergence has varied across the state and even from field to field. Weather variations are to blame — with some areas hit hard by rain, and others dry.

While it’s difficult to find a field with a perfect, uniform stand, most fields have a good stand, Gauck said.

“Now it’s about making good, informed in-season decisions moving forward,” he said. “We still have an opportunity for great yields.

“We need a good weather pattern through the summer. We need rain, we need sunshine. But there’s still potential for a great crop.”

Some fields may need additional nitrogen.

In wet fields, farmers should monitor for diseases and consider whether fungicides need to be sprayed early.

“Managing weed control, especially in soybeans, will be key to high yield potential,” Gauck said.