By JEFF BURBRINK
Extension Educator, Purdue Extension Elkhart County

I have been hearing reports of surprisingly good crop yields from around the county so far, despite the usual wet/then dry season that has defined 2015.

Corn yields reported to me have ranged from 140 to 280 bushels to the acre so far, with most people saying that 180 bushels seems to be close to an average.

On some of the sandy, non-irrigated fields, I have heard reports of significant stalk breakage as the combine moves through the field, a testament to weaker stalks due to deficiencies caused when the plants cannibalized nutrients from the lower stalk to fuel grain production. We have been fortunate so far to have few storms this fall, which could cause these fields to lodge.

In soybeans, I have heard yields ranging from 40 to 80 bushels per acre, with 60 bushels being the most common response. Moisture levels in the beans are often well below 15 percent, which is simply amazing to me. In some cases, bean pods were reportedly shattering, as evidenced by green regrowth of beans in the field a few days after harvest.

The various stress conditions that affected our crops in 2015 also affected on farm test plots throughout the region. I have heard of differences of over 80 bushels per acre within the same test plot.

The weather this season has most likely increased the natural variability already exists in test plot data. While the data from test plots will have some value, the results may be tainted if the plot was not replicated in multiple sites, across several soils, for instance. Don’t bet the farm on 2015 results. Take a look at data from two or three sites and at least two years of data while making those critical decisions for next year.