With harvest season nearly complete, LG Seeds agronomists are reflecting on a year of unique challenges and valuable learning. 

From Texas to Michigan, they’ve shared insights into the regional obstacles growers faced — from severe weather and pest pressure to nutrient shortages and disease outbreaks.

Key Takeaways:

• Across the country, growers faced unique regional challenges in 2024. 
• Strategic management, such as split nitrogen applications and crop diversification, helped stabilize yields under tough conditions. 
• Standout products demonstrated the value of adaptive genetics, delivering strong yields despite diverse environmental challenges.

Here’s a look at how this season unfolded for farmers across the country:

A Season of Learning and Resilience for Texas

Harvest is officially wrapped up across Texas, but this year was anything but typical. 

Weather Woes and Field Conditions 

Hurricanes swept through parts of the state, impacting coastal regions near Houston, Victoria and Wharton. High winds took their toll, leaving anywhere from 10 to 50% of fields flattened and causing significant yield loss. 

Beyond the storms, central Texas also endured relentless rain — over 30 to 40 inches within a few months. Tornadoes, hail and high winds further compounded the challenges in the Waco area, leading to sub-average yields for much of the crop.

Pest Pressure Hits Hard

In addition to weather challenges, growers saw an intense surge in pest activity, particularly from green-leaf aphids and corn leafhoppers. The worst of this infestation arrived during pollination, affecting both pollination success and grain fill across all hybrids and varieties. The volume of pests was unprecedented and led to yield loss — as well as an urgent need for better pest management planning.

Lessons in Crop Management and Future Readiness 

While yields may have fallen below expectations, this season proved a powerful learning experience. Many farmers trialed new corn reels, which showed promise for harvesting downed corn. Across Texas, agronomist Jorge Guzman enhanced his understanding of how to navigate storm-ravaged fields, better place products and optimize performance.

Despite the difficulties, several standout hybrids displayed strong resilience and performance in the face of Texas’s unpredictable weather. These included:

• LG67C07
• LG65C14
• LG66C06

Each of these hybrids demonstrated consistent yields and adaptability across various soil types and management practices — a testament to the reliability of LG Seeds genetics, backed by data and on-the-ground results.

A Marathon Season in Illinois

As of November 3, 2024, USDA 's crop progress report shows Illinois farmers have 5% of corn left to harvest, and it’s been a marathon to the finish line. Soybeans are already out, while some late-planted corn is still being pulled from the fields. Conditions have been smooth overall, with minimal rain delays and quickly drying crops pushing harvest along. 

Weather Challenges and Crop Conditions

A few late-season weather hiccups, including wind from the recent hurricanes, created minor challenges but resulted in minimal standability issues. The primary hurdle has been extremely dry corn and beans due to late-season drought. While these conditions mean less money spent on drying, it has required careful management.

Sourced From: https://droughtmonitor.unl.edu/Maps/CompareTwoWeeks.aspx

Insect Pressure and Yield Impact

Soybean yields started strong early in the season, but full-season beans underperformed due to a lack of late-season moisture. Overall, both corn and soybean yields are expected to average out, though not as high as initially hoped.

Greensnap incidents occurred mid-to-late season, along with widespread aphid infestations. Some isolated lowland areas also received heavy rain, which impacted yield consistency.

Strategic Takeaways for Next Year

This season underscored the importance of variation in everything from crop maturities and genetics to planting dates. Having a range of soybean maturities (early, mid and late) and an early-planting strategy proved beneficial, while genetic diversity in corn helped protect yields under stress. 

LG Seeds' robust genetics from its diverse germplasm base played a big role in helping farmers adapt to these challenging conditions.

Standout Hybrids

This year highlighted the power of select LG Seeds corn hybrids:

• LG64C43
• LG63C82
• LG62C73

On the soybean side, no single variety stood out, as they all performed similarly.

Still, this season showed the importance of early planting, genetic diversity and selecting a mix of grainfill and kernel-heavy types.

For Illinois, the lesson from 2024 is clear for agronomist Robby Meeker: diversification is essential.

A Season of Intensity and Exceptional Yields in Michigan

Harvest is nearly over in Michigan. As of November 3, 2024, 95% of soybeans and 82% of corn crops are wrapped up in Michigan, but it was a relentless push for growers. Favorable weather has led to a remarkable season, with corn and soybean yields expected to be above average — and possibly even record-breaking.

Weather and Nutrient Management Challenges 

Michigan received steady rainfall early in the season — which benefited crop growth but challenged nutrient management. Many growers faced nitrogen shortages early due to heavy rains, which washed away available nitrogen and led to premature plant die-off and some yield loss. 

In these situations, adaptive nutrient strategies are valuable. Growers who used split nitrogen applications, or those with naturally higher soil nitrogen, saw notably better results.

Late-season drought conditions also emerged, with Michigan receiving little to no rain after the third week of August. This lack of late moisture compounded nitrogen deficiencies and impacted fields with shallow-rooted crops, underscoring the importance of optimizing root health in wet years.

Disease Pressure and Fungicide Success

Late-season disease pressures brought additional challenges, with tar spot making a late appearance. This affected even highly tolerant hybrids. 

According to agronomist Justin Schneider, fungicide applications during silk browning provided a solid yield boost: around 15 to 20 bushels per acre. White mold appeared in the region’s soybeans, though it wasn’t widespread enough to significantly impact yields.

Top-Performing Hybrids and Varieties

This season saw some standout performers across Michigan fields:

Corn:

• LG51C62
• LG48C87 
• LG58C48 

Soybeans:

• LGS1832E3 & LGS2001E3

Key Nitrogen and Fungicide Insights 

Michigan’s growers found that split nitrogen applications helped counteract the effects of heavy rains and improve nitrogen availability through the season. Additionally, fungicide applications at R3 in soybeans and brown silk in corn yielded notable increases, with approximately 4.5 bushels per acre for soybeans and 15 to 20 bushels per acre for corn.

The Bottom Line

From Texas to Michigan, growers tackled weather challenges, pest pressures and nutrient management issues with resilience and adaptability. This year highlighted the importance of strategic crop planning and field management.

Next season, implementing those lessons — such as diversified planting dates, split nitrogen applications and timely fungicide treatments — will help farmers build resilience against unpredictable conditions. By optimizing nutrient strategies and prioritizing proactive disease management, growers can face whatever 2025 has in store.

Want tailored advice for your fields? Reach out to your local LG Seeds agronomist to discuss these insights and how they can support your operation’s unique needs.