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The NDSU Extension weekly podcast In the Pod: Soybean Updates delivers timely insights and expert advice on soybean production.
You're listening to In The Pod, Soybean Updates, a weekly trek into the latest soybean information from NDSU Extension. The drought in North Dakota is widespread. The West Central Orbula area is the perfect example of variable. Craig Askim, NDSU Mercer County extension agent, has an update. Craig, how are the soybeans doing?
Craig Askim:Yeah. Mercer County here, I guess, going back to the spring, most of the soybeans got planted in a timely manner. We had good moisture going into that middle of May time frame. Once we got them planted, about the June 7 here in Mercer County, we had pretty nasty storm come through the county, caused a lot of damage to building the structures like that, but the soybeans kind of got actually flooded for a little while. And then we had timely rains through June, and then after you know, once we hit the July 4, we didn't hardly get any rain at all from the July 4 up to presently here. We probably only had about an inch and a half of rain. So overall, we have soybeans that I would say are average in moisture, average in development. I'm going to expect about average yields for soybeans for our county. The thing that's happening right now is we have different levels of maturity occurring in our soybeans. We have some that were actually got drought stress and are actually the plant went into physiologically maturity, so they're ready to be harvested. And then we have some that with the moisture that we got here in the last couple of weeks are starting to regrow and flower. So we have two different germination levels and development levels occurring in our soybeans. But I think the outlook for us compared to other counties is still pretty good. I'm still expecting about an average average yield for soybeans in our county. You know, it's gonna be somewhere in that 30 to 35 bushel range, which is about average commercial county. So all in all, at least we have a harvestable crop.
Bruce Sundeen:Could your area use a shot of rain? Would that still help things out?
Craig Askim:Yeah. I mean, we'll take rain anytime we can get it. I think if we could get rain in the next ten days, it would help loosen up the ground, and any of those later planted soybeans would benefit from them. I think it would actually aid the harvesting process along. It would fill out any of the pods that aren't completely filled out yet and get it more uniform for harvest so guys can harvest without having to put any added extra cost into it for desiccation or anything like that that they may have to do in soybeans, which we usually don't have to do. But with the unevenness of maturity levels this year, that may have to be an option that guys have to look at. And, unfortunately, that's gonna bring a little extra cost involved. So
Bruce Sundeen:How much weed pressure is there?
Craig Askim:It seems like the later planted soybeans probably have a little more weed pressure involved because they had some moisture to develop. But overall, weeds aren't too bad. We're fighting like everybody else across the state is. Kosher is definitely the biggest weed we have occurring in our soybeans and our row crops in general. It just really depends on the chemical management programs that guys are on, but, you know, unfortunately, we do have resistant kosher showing up in the county too. But overall, I would say we're in pretty good shape for weed control this year.
Bruce Sundeen:Has the drought kept disease issues at bay?
Craig Askim:That's maybe the silver lining. All our fungal diseases and stuff like that, we really haven't seen any to date so far. Our insects are the ones that are some guys are concerned with. If it stays dry, I would imagine we'll start seeing more insect pressures here since the small grains are pretty much all harvested. Now grasshoppers and aphids and stuff like that, they'll be looking for any green tissue to survive on, so they'll start moving into the soybeans and into the corn. Guys will have to keep an eye out on that here in the next couple of weeks. But so far, there hasn't been any huge problems with any insect issues so far.
Bruce Sundeen:Craig, any final thoughts?
Craig Askim:We will have a crop to harvest for soybeans here at least throughout the county. I'm sure it'll be all over the board like the small grains were. We'll have some guys that have really good yields and then some that'll be rather disappointing. You know, the market has went up for soybeans here a little bit. I think most guys are having a good mindset for it. You know, I think we'll still get an average crop. We'll definitely have something to harvest where other counties won't. So we're thankful for that.
Bruce Sundeen:Thanks, Craig. Our guest has been Craig Askim, NDSU Mercer County extension agent. You're listening to In the Pod, Soybean Updates, a weekly trek into the latest soybean information from NDSU Extension supported by the North Dakota Soybean Council.