The Weekly Weather and Crop Update from the Southern Research and Outreach Center at Waseca showed it was a slightly cooler and dryer week than normal. Temperatures averaged 69.3 degrees and that was 1.8 degrees below normal. Rainfall totaled .89 inches .17 inches below normal. Growing degree units totaled 134 which was 7 percent below normal. Since May 1 we have accumulated 1876.5 growing degree units.

Corn has now reached the grain fill stage and the normal to slightly below normal temperatures with adequate moisture is ideal weather. You want to give the corn time to convert the sugars in the plant into starch in the kernel. Test weight can suffer if the temperatures are too warm and corn matures too quickly.

Soybeans are moving along nicely. Beans are filling pods but also still flowering and setting new pods. Soybean aphid populations are increasing and there are some fields that have reached threshold levels and needing an insecticide application. Later planted soybeans are the most desirable for soybean aphids. So, pay special attention to those fields!

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