Mark Lamont assesses the corn in Phillips Township during the 2024 White County Crop Tour.
Most farmers reported damage from Whitetail Deer in the fields they toured this week as part of the White County Crop Tour. One participant estimated that a field near Carmi will lose close to 60 bushels per acre due to the damage. Pictured is deer damage in a field from Gray Township, southwest of Grayville.
The corn leaves taken from a field in Gray Township not only show the disparity in corn maturity, but also the impact of Black Tar Spot disease on the corn. Black Tar Spot was first reported in Illinois in 2015 and has since become a challenge for farmers. The disease reduces the plant’s ability to take in sunlight. In severe cases, it can kill the plants and cause grain yield losses of 20-60 bushels per acre. Although the disease can be managed with fungicides it can overwinter in the corn fields and impact future crops.
Farmers reported above-average yields in most fields in White County during the White County Crop Tour. Ears were well pollinated with a higher average number of kernel rows on each cob. This year’s crop tour estimate is the second highest in the last 10 years of the tour.
Kyle Rynkiewich and Larry Ellison measure ear length on a field in Hearlds Prairie Township during the 2024 White County Crop Tour.
Black Tar Spot disease is clearly evident in this field in Gray Township.
Farmers headed out to White County fields on yesterday (Wednesday) to assess this year’s corn crop. Farmers reported above-average yields in most fields with excellent ear pollination, good ear length, and a reasonable tolerance to disease pressure. This year’s White County Crop Tour was sponsored by the White County Farm Bureau, York Ridge Agency LLC, Peoples National Bank, and Consolidated Grain & Barge.
The average estimated 2024 corn yield for White County is 175.5 bushels per acre, compared to actual USDA corn yield of 171.0 (harvested acres) in 2023. The highest USDA corn yield during the last 10 years for White County was in 2014 when the yield hit 195.3 bushels per acre. The lowest USDA corn yield in the last 10 years occurred in 2016 with a yield of only 134.3 bushels.
This year, Mill Shoals Township in the northwestern area of the county saw the highest yield estimate at 200.2 bushels per acre, which was significantly higher than last year’s estimate of that township of 174.3 bushels per acre. The lowest yielding township in 2024 was Indian Creek Township in the Norris City area which came in at 146.9 bushels per acre. The overall sentiment of those participating in the tour were that the earlier planted corn fields had lower yield potential than the later planted fields.
2024 yield estimates for each township results were (bu/ac):
· Burnt Prairie Township 170.5
· Carmi Township 173.2
· Emma Township 181.1
· Enfield Township 168.3
· Gray Township 186.5
· Hawthorne Township 177.4
· Heralds Prairie Township 168.6
· Indian Creek Township 146.9
· Mill Shoals Township 200.2
· Phillips Township 182.5
2024 White County Crop Tour, continued
33 individuals participated in the 2024 tour, spanning out in teams across the county to take yield measurements. Teams measured the number of stalks in 60 feet, the number of ears in 60 feet, average length of an ear, and the average number of rows in an ear. Data was taken from 8-10 fields in each township, randomly chosen around 2-3 miles apart from one another. A yield estimate was taken from 100 fields in 10 townships.
The average ear length for 2024 was 7.3inches, compared to 6.8 inches in 2023; average kernel rows were 16.1, up from 16.0 in 2024; average ear population was 28,900 plants per acre, compared to 28,519 plants per acre average in 2023; and the average ear-to-stalk ratio was 96%, the same as in 2023.
The White County Farm Bureau would like to extend a special thank you to Peoples National Bank for sponsoring lunch, to Consolidated Grain & Barge in Enfield for sponsoring breakfast and for the use of their ropes and field forms, to York Ridge Agency for their assistance in compiling the data, and to the Carmi FFA Chapter for assisting with the tour.
For the complete report of the 2024 White County Crop Tour, go to the White County Farm Bureau website at www.whitecfb.com/croptour.
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