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Crop considerations when excessively wet

There can be a laundry list of management considerations for farmers dealing with excessive moisture this time of year.

University of Minnesota Extension integrated pest management specialist Bruce Potter says assessing the crop comes first.

“First we’ve got the issue of crop damage, then we’ve got the issue of getting fieldwork done. There’s a lot of herbicide applications that have to go on yet. And then maybe some of impacts on diseases and insects.”

He tells Brownfield crops are drowning and it’s likely too late to replant corn.

“Except if you’re just using it for a cover. And soybeans, once we get into July, after the 4th, it gets pretty nebulous there. So I think there are going to be a lot of areas that are not going to have a harvested crop on them.”

Potter says for weed control, crop stage and herbicide label will dictate grower decisions.

He’s also concerned about increased disease pressure, but says most insects prefer dry conditions and a silver lining to the standing water could be high corn rootworm mortality.