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Yields are expected to vary a lot

An agronomist says the combination of dry weather and different soil types is giving corn and soybean producers a variety of yield results.

Arika Wech with Pioneer in southwestern Wisconsin tells Brownfield it’s difficult to predict what to expect from a lot of fields this growing season. “I know agronomists get a bad rap for using the word ‘variable’ but I think this year more than any, yields are and are going to continue to be highly, highly variable.”

Wech says some corn harvesting has been underway in her area, and soybeans will get combined soon because of how fast they are drying, but she’s expecting a wide range of yield numbers. “I’ve heard upwards of 270-bushel corn and 65-bushel beans. Beans definitely took a little bit more of a hit with the lack of August rains. I think we’re going to see some sub-150-bushel corn and less than 40-bushel beans out there, unfortunately.”

Wech says she is concerned about corn stalk integrity because of nutrient deficiency in dry areas and soybeans that are drying to 14% moisture before the leaves fall off, so scouting fields early and often will be important this fall.