The Cornelius Seed Podcast

How are corn and soybean yields holding up after a growing season of weather extremes? In this episode of the Cornelius Seed Podcast, host Juan checks in with Regional Sales Manager Cliff Lane straight from the combine in Stark County, Illinois, for a firsthand look at the 2026 harvest. From saturated soils and nitrogen loss to hot summer nights that impacted grain fill, Cliff shares how challenging growing conditions translated into harvest results across west-central Illinois. Despite the challenges, soybean yields have been above average, while corn yields are holding near average with generally good stalk quality. Cliff also discusses changing grain moisture, test weights, wildlife damage, and the importance of monitoring field conditions during harvest. Plus, hear Cliff's recommendations for identifying weed pressure, managing compaction, and taking notes now to make better management decisions for the 2027 growing season. ⏱️ Chapters: 00:00 – Introduction: Harvest Update from Illinois 00:55 – Harvest Progress & Field Conditions 02:00 – Weather Challenges & Impact on Grain Fill 03:35 – Corn Test Weights & Weather Resources 04:15 – Soybean Yield Performance 05:10 – Corn Yields, Stalk Quality & Crown Rot 06:15 – Corn Moisture & Phantom Yield Loss 07:35 – Deer & Raccoon Damage in Cornfields 08:35 – Weed Pressure & Lessons for 2027 09:15 – Managing Field Compaction 09:50 – Harvest Safety & Final Takeaways

Harvest 2026 Update From the Cab : NC Iowa From the combine in Wright County, Iowa, Cornelius Seed DSM and farmer Brad shares a harvest update shaped by a very wet September that delayed soybeans and raised crop quality concerns. He reports soybean yields staying within about three bushels across a wide maturity range, with many loads running wetter than recent years (often 11–13% moisture) and tougher stems slowing combining, plus some localized lodging. Brad notes a strong grain fill and timely rains, but says several nights that didn’t drop below 70°F may have reduced top-end yield. He’s increasingly worried about corn stalk strength after recent winds caused top loss and visible stalk issues, urging growers to harvest when possible. He encourages taking detailed notes on low-yield spots, lodged stalks, root issues like tomahawk roots from early planting, and rut/compaction areas for winter planning. 00:20 Season Setup 01:08 Harvest Progress 01:41 Bean Moisture Talk 02:53 Weather Impact 04:05 Yield Consistency 05:01 Quality Concerns 06:19 Field Notes Tips 07:42 Compaction And Ruts 08:34 Wrap Up

On the Cornelius Seed Podcast, fill-in host Kariann Kuntz talks with agronomist Craig Allaman about unusually wet conditions across Iowa and northern Illinois that are delaying harvest and contributing to preharvest sprouting—soybeans sprouting in split pods and corn kernels sprouting on the ear. Craig explains how recent hot, dry stress followed by heavy rains can make soybean pods brittle, causing them to split and allow moisture in, and how corn below 20% moisture can sprout again when husks open and water pools at the base of the ear. He notes sprouting can also be associated with ear rots like Gibberella and Trichoderma, often tied to ear tip damage. The key advice is to scout fields now, reprioritize harvest to protect yield and grain quality, and dry affected corn at higher heat to stop germination. Read More on our website: https://www.corneliusseed.com/agronomy/wet-weather-alert-seed-germination-before-harvest/ 00:00 Rainy Harvest Stalls 00:22 Podcast Intro and Issue 01:15 Field Reports of Sprouting 02:18 Scout Now and Reprioritize 03:52 Why It’s Happening 05:15 Corn Mechanics and Scouting 06:02 Ear Rot and Damage Links 06:56 Key Takeaways and Drying 07:59 Wrap Up and Next Steps

On this episode of the Cornelius Seed Podcast, District Sales Manager Luke Davis shares what he’s seeing in northeast Iowa as late-season disease pressure ramps up, including tar spot, southern rust, crown rot in corn, and SDS in soybeans, with some northern corn leaf blight also present. They discuss how recent weather set the stage, why fungicide decisions were made around tassel despite limited early symptoms, and why late applications now are mostly case-by-case and often not cost-effective unless crop is later or harvest is delayed. Davis emphasizes scouting and taking notes for future planning, prioritizing harvest on fields with stalk/crown rot risk, doing pinch tests for stalk integrity, and identifying soybean diseases like SDS vs brown stem rot. He also notes a split-planter observation of less crown rot with Pivot Bio G3 and highlights Victrato seed treatment (stacked with Profit Guard Plus) and variety selection as key SDS management tools. 00:34 Podcast Intro and Goals00:59 Field Disease Snapshot01:38 Weather and Fungicide Timing04:07 Late Season Spray Decisions05:54 Harvest Priority and Stalk Rots07:01 Biologicals Trial Results08:33 Fungicide ROI Next Year09:51 Soybean SDS Reality Check11:07 SDS Management Tools13:59 Scout Now Plan Ahead15:43 Wrap Up and Thanks

In this Cornelius Seed Podcast season update, lead agronomist Craig Allaman reviews mid-season crop conditions as corn moves through full tassel and early silking, with warm, humid weather and dews creating favorable disease conditions. He reports widespread low-canopy gray leaf spot and common rust, very light northern corn leaf blight, and some early tar spot, noting heat has kept cooler-weather diseases in check but gray leaf could continue to build and southern rust remains a major concern due to storms bringing spores north. The best fungicide timing is generally R1 (silking) through brown silk, but scouting should continue through mid- to late August for late outbreaks. Soybeans are improving as saturated areas recover and nodulation returns; he highlights red crown rot as an emerging, yield-robbing disease to watch for and stresses ongoing scouting across fields and trials. 00:00 Southern Rust Watch 00:22 Season Update Kickoff 00:55 Tasseling And Trial Checks 03:13 Corn Disease Snapshot 04:54 Southern Rust Risk Rising 06:16 Fungicide Timing Window 07:41 Soybeans Turning Around 08:41 Field Variability Tour 10:46 Red Crown Rot Alert 13:36 Biologicals And Rootworm Plans 15:08 Scout Hard Through August 16:18 Wrap Up And Thanks