Cooler temperatures were expected for Friday through the weekend in much of the US Midwest, which will help relieve stress on the 2006 corn and soybean crops, a private forecaster said on Wednesday. "We don't expect any great amounts of rainfall, but the cooler weekend should help," said Meteorlogix forecaster Joel Burgio.
Hot weather in the Midwest has been causing concern about potential yield declines in this year's corn crop because it is in its key pollination, or reproductive, stage.
The US Department of Agriculture said late Monday 51 percent of the crop was silking, or pollinating, and 16 percent of the soybean crop was setting pods, also a vulnerable stage of development.
USDA said 62 percent of the US corn crop was in good to excellent shape, down from 63 percent last week but above the 55 percent rating of a year ago. Fifty-seven percent of the soybean crop was in good to excellent condition, down from 58 percent last week but above the 53 percent of a year ago. Burgio said mostly dry weather was the norm in the Midwest on Tuesday, with a few light showers in the eastern Midwest states of Indiana and Ohio.