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Jump in crop development also increases disease & weed pressures

Michigan’s wheat crop is just starting to show signs harvest is nearing

Kaitlin Waibel is the Michigan Technical Service Representative for BASF.

“It’s most behind up in the Thumb, and then in some of those southern areas we’re starting to see it turn a little bit.”

The USDA says Michigan wheat is one percent harvested and rated 60 percent good to excellent.

Waibel tells Brownfield recent warm, wet weather has been beneficial for weed development.

“With all this rain, this heat, we’re seeing reports of water hemp growing an inch a day here in Michigan,” she says. “With trying to get these applications out, that’s a really scary thing to see because you get more growing points, it really speaks to the benefit of having those multiple applications.”

Corn in the state is 89 percent emerged and rated 73 percent good to excellent. Soybeans are 86 percent emerged and rated 61 percent good to excellent.

Waibel says it’s important farmers also have a fungicide plan in place as more reports of tar spot are confirmed across the Midwest.