Conditions continue to turn drier in many fields in northeast Iowa. Iowa State University extension crop specialist George Cummins says the lack of rain is taking a toll.There are areas where the drought stress is a problem, and he says they’re coming up on the critical pollination time for corn. He says they haven’t found too many problems with corn insects.The soybean aphid was a major problem last year, but Cummins says the bug is not posing as much of a threat this year.He says the aphids haven’t shown up as fast or in the numbers they produced last year. Cummins says the heat may be keeping the aphids in check.He says their reproduction does slow when the temperatures are in the 90s. Cummins works in the Floyd County office in Charles City.
