DES MOINES — Iowa corn continued moving rapidly toward maturity during a much drier week, with nearly half of the crop reaching the dent stage while corn remained 78 percent good to excellent and soybeans held at 77 percent good to excellent.
The latest Iowa Crop Progress and Condition Report covers the week ending August 23 and shows a significant change from the rain-soaked conditions farmers dealt with just one week earlier.
Iowa farmers had 5.2 days suitable for fieldwork, up sharply from the 3.3 days available during the previous reporting week.
That previous week brought the wettest conditions of the growing season, with statewide rainfall averaging 2.60 inches. NIT reported on the soaking rains and strong crop conditions here.
This time, statewide rainfall averaged just 0.24 inch, far below the normal weekly amount of 0.93 inch.
Corn pushes deeper into dent stage
Iowa corn continued developing ahead of last year in several important categories.
Ninety percent of the crop had reached the dough stage, three percentage points ahead of last year.
Forty-seven percent of Iowa corn had reached the dent stage, five percentage points ahead of last year.
One percent had reached maturity, however, which was two percentage points behind the pace recorded at the same time last year.
Overall corn condition remained strong at 78 percent good to excellent.
That rating was unchanged from the previous week despite the sharp shift from extremely wet conditions to a much drier weather pattern.
Earlier in August, NIT reported that Iowa corn was also rated 78 percent good to excellent as heavy rain soaked portions of Northern Iowa.
Soybeans remain 77% good to excellent
Soybean development also continued moving forward.
Eighty-eight percent of Iowa soybeans were setting pods, one percentage point behind last year.
Soybean condition was rated 77 percent good to excellent.
The oat harvest was nearly finished, reaching 97 percent completion, one percentage point ahead of last year.
Iowa pastures were rated 65 percent good to excellent.
Soil moisture remained generally adequate despite the dry week.
Topsoil moisture was rated 3 percent very short, 16 percent short, 70 percent adequate and 11 percent surplus.
Subsoil moisture was rated 5 percent very short, 21 percent short, 66 percent adequate and 8 percent surplus.
Naig says farmers watching crops mature
Iowa Secretary of Agriculture Mike Naig said farmers were turning their attention toward crop development as summer begins winding down.
“As students and families settle into the routines of a new school year, farmers are keeping an eye on the forecast as crops continue to mature,” Naig said.
Naig said warmer temperatures and rainfall closer to normal levels into early September should help crops continue developing as Iowa moves closer to the fall harvest.
Iowa turns much drier
State Climatologist Justin Glisan said Iowa experienced an unusually dry reporting period, with most weather stations receiving below-normal rainfall.
The statewide average temperature was 71.1 degrees, about half a degree warmer than normal.
Rain did fall in several rounds, but much of it was scattered and concentrated in southern and eastern sections of Iowa.
Storms Tuesday produced some of the week’s largest totals, including 1.35 inches at Sidney in Fremont County and 1.47 inches at Augusta in Lee County.
Additional thunderstorms developed Wednesday, including a weak landspout near Marsh in Louisa County.
Another narrow line of storms developed Friday across eastern Iowa, with several cells becoming severe warned.
Northern Iowa experienced fog in some areas Saturday morning as a cold front moved through, followed by cooler and drier conditions.
Weekly rainfall ranged from no measurable precipitation at many stations to 2.45 inches at Thurman in Fremont County.
The statewide average of 0.24 inch represented only about one-quarter of Iowa’s normal rainfall for the week.
Several stations recorded a weekly high of 89 degrees, while Spencer Municipal Airport in Clay County dropped to 47 degrees on August 23, 11 degrees below normal.
The weekly drying marked a dramatic reversal from the previous reporting period, when repeated thunderstorms, flooding and severe weather dumped nearly three times the normal rainfall across Iowa.
The next report would show crops continuing to advance rapidly, with corn denting jumping to 68 percent and both corn and soybeans settling at 77 percent good to excellent. NIT’s following crop report can be read here.