University of Illinois wheat breeder Jessica Rutkoski discusses observations of a research plot at Southern Illinois University’s Belleville Research Center in St. Clair County. 

BELLEVILLE, Ill. — Late but great? Maybe.

That’s the impression observers got of the wheat crop in Illinois during a tour in late May. Maturity has been stunted a bit across the counties in the southern part of the state where most is grown in Illinois. But the outlook is good.

The initial projection is an average of 69 bushels per acre, just under last year’s estimate of 70 bushels. Farmers ended up breaking the state record last year, scoring an average of 79 bushels per acre in 2021.

Producers may take heart that past tour estimates have been on the low side. Last year’s actual statewide average yield was 13% higher than the estimate. Tour participants often caution that many things can change in the wheat crop’s final six to eight weeks of maturity.

“All the wheat looked really good,” said Dave Devore of Siemer Milling.

DeVore led one of five teams that fanned across the southern third of the state. The members observed crop and ground conditions and measured tiller counts in order to make yield estimates.

Devore’s group covered five counties: Effingham, Shelby, Fayette, Marion and Clinton, checking a total of 13 fields.

Many on the tour reported high yields in certain fields. The highest county average was 90 bushels per acre, in Effingham County.

“What we saw looked good,” Devore said. “It’s behind schedule, probably by a good week to 10 days. Tillers were good. We did see some fields that lacked nitrogen. Maybe they stood in water too long.”

Yields are estimated by tiller counts in 3-by-3-foot sections. Tour participants — including millers, farmers, agronomists and others — also take into account disease pressure, head size and stand thickness.

John Howell’s group examined fields in St. Clair, Monroe and Randolph counties.

“Wheat was a little thinner than we anticipated,” he said. “Head counts were not quite as high as we thought. We saw some stinkbugs, and there were a few isolated incidents of armyworms. A lot of them succumbed to predatory wasps.”

Howell added that barley yellow dwarf virus was prevalent, but head scab was relatively rare.

Mark Miller of Mennel Milling covered Montgomery, Bond and Madison counties.

“All the wheat looked really good,” he said. “The only thin stands we saw were in corn stalks, maybe some no-till. We didn’t see any leaf damage. Really, it’s too early.”

Mark Krausz visited fields in Clinton, Madison and Bond counties. Few major issues were observed other than an infestation of armyworms in one field.

“One pooped on me,” Krausz said. “Armyworms were unbelievable. There wasn’t a flag leaf in the field. We stopped and talked to the farmer, telling him we were tromping through his field and had to be the bearer of bad news.”

Other than that, disease was not an issue.

“You can tell intensive management is being practiced at the farm — it paid off,” he said.

University of Illinois plant breeder Jessica Rutkoski, who brought the group up on the latest in research, said fusarium head blight — commonly referred to as head scab — is being targeted successfully through selective breeding, coupled with intensive management.

“It’s still a problem, we’re just getting better at managing it,” she said.

Participants of the annual tour of wheat fields in Illinois May 24 estimated average yields of just under 69 bushels per acre. They examined crops in 63 fields across the southern part of the state. Top counties in projected bushels per acre:

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Nat Williams is Southern Illinois field editor, writing for Illinois Farmer Today, Iowa Farmer Today and Missouri Farmer Today.

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University of Illinois wheat breeder Jessica Rutkoski discusses observations of a research plot at Southern Illinois University’s Belleville Research Center in St. Clair County. 

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