Pennsylvania corn crop in good shape despite dry start

Pennsylvania's corn crop is in good shape overall, despite a dry start to the summer. The USDA rated Pennsylvania corn 16% excellent and 64% good the week ending Sept. 24. Harvest has officially begun, with 4% corn harvested, behind the five-year average by 1%.

While the corn crop is in good shape overall, there are some concerns about quality. James Valent, a technical agronomist for Channel Seeds, says that some corn was affected by cool, saturated soils while others did not germinate evenly from the lack of moisture in May followed by setbacks of frost.

As a result, Valent says the state has a lot of uneven stands. “Having a uniform stand is critical to maximizing yield potential,” Valent says.

Valent also shares his concerns about the corn crop’s quality, “whether the crop reaches full maturity as well as ear health with all of the rains this fall,” he says. Overall, Valent says Pennsylvania’s corn has a long way to go before it can be considered a good crop.

Despite Valent’s concerns, the majority of the state experienced above average rainfall this summer. Maps generated by the Iowa Environmental Mesonet indicate precipitation departures as high as nearly 13 inches over the summer months.

The most recent Crop Progress report rated Pennsylvania topsoil moisture 0% very short, 16% short, 74% adequate, and 10% surplus. Subsoil moisture was rated 0% very short, 17% short, 78% adequate, and 5% surplus.

A drought map published Sept. 21 shows that a little over 2% of the state is facing D1 moderate drought conditions. D1 moderate drought spans 17% of the state, compared to just 6% the previous week. Almost 81% of Pennsylvania is free of drought stress, a dramatic change from three months ago, when none of the state was drought free.

Of the state’s 67 counties, none have USDA disaster designations.

The National Integrated Drought Information System reports that August 2023 was the 28th-wettest August on record for the state. Records go back to 1895. So far, 2023 is shaping up to be the 65th-wettest year in history for the Keystone state.

Overall, Pennsylvania's corn crop is in good shape, but there are some concerns about quality. Farmers will need to monitor their crops closely to ensure that they reach full maturity and that the ears are healthy.
 

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