Crops in Greene County continue to be a head of the growing season compared to last year.

Landus Cooperative Field Agronomist Zach Minnihan has seen corn at the black layer stage, which is when firm starch is reaching the base of the kernel and that is an indicator that corn has matured.

“It’s much quicker than years past. About a year ago, we were at 1,350 growing degree days and this year, we’re all the way up to 2,600. That plant has just flown through the growing season and is really starting to turn quick in this early September time rather than middle to late September.”

As for soybeans, Minnihan says a major issue has been Sudden Death, which is a root rot that doesn’t show up until later in the growing season. The plant breaks down and loses foliage and leaf tissue, which can hinder potential yields.

Minnihan points out that the growing season is about ten days ahead of last year, but yields might vary across the board.

“Timing specifically was very, very big this year on say like fungicide. The time you got product on the plant to fight off that heat stress is a big factor that’s going to play this fall.”

Minnihan anticipates early work for the harvest season to begin around September 17th.