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Corn planting underway in the U.S.

Corn planting underway in the U.S.

About 2 percent of corn is in the ground, a USDA report says

By Diego Flammini
Staff Writer
Farms.com

The 2022 planting season is underway.

About 2 percent of the U.S. corn crop is in the ground, the USDA’s April 5 Weekly Weather and Crop Bulletin says.

Projections for 2022 U.S. corn acres is about 89.5 million acres, meaning about 17.9 million acres of corn has been planted so far.

On a state level, Texas farmers have planted the most corn.

Growers in that state have planted 54 percent of their corn, the USDA’s report says. Texas producers planted the same volume of corn at this time last year too.

Aside from Texas, only three other states are reporting the start of corn planting season.

Farmers in North Carolina have planted 3 percent of their corn. Growers in Kansas have planted 2 percent of their corn acres and farmers in Kentucky report 1 percent of that state’s corn acres are planted.

Farmers are also planting their 2022 spring wheat crops.

Growers have planted about 3 percent of the national spring wheat acres, the USDA reports.

With projections for spring wheat around 11.2 million acres, this means farmers have planted about 336,000 acres.

Farmers in Washington State have planted the most acres at this point.

Producers there have planted 27 percent of their spring wheat acres. At this time last year, growers had only planted 14 percent.

Farmers in Idaho, Montana and South Dakota are the only others to report spring wheat planting. Growers there have planted 7, 3 and 6 percent, respectively.

The U.S. winter wheat crop is starting to head.

About 4 percent of the winter wheat crop is headed, the USDA’s report says.

Winter wheat in Texas is the furthest along with 23 percent of the crop in that state headed.

Winter wheat in California (20), Arkansas (2), Missouri (1) and North Carolina (2) have also headed.


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The Crop Science Podcast Show, Dr. Emerson Nafziger from the University of Illinois breaks down decades of nitrogen research. From the evolution of N rate guidelines to how soil health and hybrid genetics influence nitrogen use efficiency, this conversation unpacks the science behind smarter fertilization. Improving how we set nitrogen fertilizer rates for rainfed corn is a key focus. Discover why the MRTN model matters more than ever, and how shifting mindsets and better data can boost yields and environmental outcomes. Tune in now on all major platforms!

"The nitrogen that comes from soil mineralization is the first nitrogen the plant sees, and its role is underestimated."

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Dr. Emerson Nafziger is Professor Emeritus of Crop Sciences at the University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign, with degrees in agronomy from Ohio State, Purdue, and Illinois. His research has focused on nitrogen rate strategies and crop productivity. He co-developed the Maximum Return to Nitrogen (MRTN) model, which is widely used across the Midwest. His research spans N response trials, hybrid interactions, crop rotation effects, and yield stability.