As a result, herbicide injury is common in many fields of corn and soybeans. Corn crops vary in stage of growth, anywhere from 5 to 12 leaf stage. Corn planted into wet conditions or fields on sandy soils that haven't had rainfall during the past week are beginning to show some drought stress. Nitrogen application is on-going. Earliest fields are at the 3rd to 4th trifoliate, while a few fields were still planted during the past week.
Cereal crops continue to progress, with spring barley headed in most fields.
Disease pressure in spring cereals is high with some reports of Septoria, Net Blotch and Scald. Hay harvest is in full swing, with lower than average, yet much improved yields compared to a few weeks ago. Over night lows continue to hover in the low teens. Widespread rainfall, June 20 and 21 dropped about 20 mm while heavy showers overnight June 23 left another 25 mm and more in some areas. Corn has jumped to the 6 to 8 leaf stage with the recent rainfall and higher temperatures.