Corn and Soybean Update
Not much progress with corn and soybean planting here in NWNY in the last week. Even with the warmer temperatures on Monday and Tuesday, many fields were still too wet to plant. The USDA NASS NY planting progress report as of May 25 has 21% of the corn acres planted with the 5-year average at 54%. The corn that is out of ground, as you would expect, is yellow and in need of some heat and sunshine. If things aren’t bad enough, I have heard of two reports of black cutworm cutting corn plants in NY. Neither was in our region.
Soybeans are even worse with only 11% planted with the 5-year average at 39%. Like I said last week, most of the early planted soybeans from April 23 to May 1 have seedcorn maggot damage. I visited some fields in Genesee County on Friday and it was difficult to find many good soybean plants. Most of these fields will need to be replanted. All the first-generation maggots have finished feeding and pupated. I actually saw a bunch of emerged adult flies on Tuesday that will be looking to lay the eggs of the second generation. I hope that as we continue to finish soybean planting, summer actually arrives, and the soybeans will push out of the ground in days not weeks. If this happens, this second generation will not be much of an issue. Slugs also remain active, and I know many growers are inquiring about slug baits.
Wheat Update
Winter wheat is trying to push heads, but it did not seem to make a lot of progress this week. I looked at some fields planted mid-September as those should be the first to flower. We are not there yet and I’m still estimating that the first flowering might occur this weekend. Fungicide applications at flowering of Miravis-Ace, Prosaro, Prosaro-Pro and Sphaerex will be crucial in suppressing Fusarium head blight. These fungicides also protect upper leaves against fungal leaf blotches, powdery mildew, and rusts. There is an application window of approximately 7 days from the beginning of flowering in which reasonable FHB and mycotoxin suppression can be expected. Check the Fusarium Risk Assessment Tool as we get closer to flowering (https://www.wheatscab.psu.edu/). Right now, it looks like the 6-day risk forecast for the NWNY region is at medium to high risk for FHB infection. Let’s hope that gets better when most of our wheat is flowering.
Alfalfa Update: Weevils and Leafhoppers
I have been getting reports of alfalfa fields that are over threshold for alfalfa weevil injury (40% of the stems with feeding damage). I checked a field on Tuesday and could easily see signs of feeding and could find the small larvae (first and second instar) hiding in the unfurled leaves at the top. The weather delayed harvest of first cutting and many fields were not sprayed because we were within 10 days from being harvested. Many fields were harvested the first half of this week. Hoping the cooler weather and rains slowed weevil feeding down too. Those fields going to dry hay are really going to have to be watched closely as 80 percent of feeding injury occurs in the fourth instar. This is when yield and quality losses occur. In those fields that were unsprayed and had heavy weevil larvae pressure, the second cut regrowth will need to be watched carefully. I’m also hearing that potato leafhoppers have arrived in NY, but I have not been able to personally confirm this.
Black Cutworm and Armyworm Trap Catches
After three weeks of high flight numbers, especially for BCW, there were no significant flights at any trap locations this week. That’s fine because we know there are lots of them already here! As I said in the corn report, some of the early flights of BCW have larvae big enough to cut small corn. The majority that came since we have begun trapping are still small. Remember, 300-degree days since our first significant flight (May 5) is when we can expect to have the biggest risk for larvae cutting small corn. Much of our area is only halfway there (range 115 -179 DD). So unfortunately, the biggest wave is still to come.
1st Cut Monitoring BMP’s
While first cutting would typically be wrapped up by now, this year’s weather had other plans. As a result, many stands are now overmature and some experiencing lodging. Harvesting overmature and lodged first cutting forage requires immediate management to preserve what remains of both quality and yield. Prioritize fields where lodging is most severe, as prolonged contact with soil increases ash content, spoilage, and nutrient losses. Use disc or rotary mowers with sharp blades and slightly elevated cutter bars (3–4 inches) to avoid excessive ash while cleanly cutting through dense stands. Spread swaths wide (at least 70% of cutter width) to accelerate drying and use a tedder shortly after mowing to lift and fluff matted forage for improved aeration. Narrow windrows should be avoided, as they retain moisture and increase the risk of fermentation failure in baleage or mold development in dry hay. For silage or baleage, consider adding inoculants and shortening chop length to improve fermentation and packing density (Cherney & Cherney, 2020; Undersander et al., 2005).
Although quality is diminished in overmature stands—due to high NDF, reduced digestibility, and lower crude protein—nutritional value can still be maximized by minimizing leaf loss and preventing contamination during harvest. Conducting a forage test post-harvest is advised to assess feed value and guide ration adjustments. For dry hay, ensure moisture is below 18% before baling to reduce spoilage risk, or use preservative treatments if conditions are marginal. Once harvest is complete, apply nitrogen where appropriate to stimulate regrowth, especially since mature stands may have depleted root reserves. Minimizing traffic during harvest also helps preserve crown health for subsequent cuttings (Cherney & Cherney, 2020; Undersander et al., 2005). Proactive decision-making under these conditions can help offset the challenges posed by delayed first cutting and heavy stands.
References:
Cherney, J. H., & Cherney, D. J. R. (2020). Harvest management of alfalfa. Cornell University Cooperative Extension. https://forages.org
Undersander, D., Cosgrove, D., Cullen, E., Grau, C., Rice, M., Renz, M., & Sheaffer, C. (2005). Alfalfa Management Guide. American Society of Agronomy, University of Wisconsin Extension, and University of Minnesota Extension. https://extension.wisc.edu
Thank you to David Bechtel for capturing these field height measurements.
Next report will be June 4.
Assisting Mike Stanyard and Jodi Letham is Field Support Staff – David Bechtel
