By Dar Danielson (Radio Iowa)

Crops are starting to show signs of stress brought on by the drought. Iowa Sate University Extension field agronomist Angie Rieck Hinz sees it in the corn in her north-central Iowa area.

“We see leaf rolling because it’s dry we see nutrient deficiencies that are showing up because it’s dry, mostly not because our soil fertility rates are too low, but because it’s dry,” she says. The bean crops have also been impacted.

“Our soybeans are extremely short this year and a lot of that has to do with these really dry conditions we’re experiencing,” Hinz says. Hinz says some areas in her region are short four to five inches of soil moisture needed to produce a healthy crop.

“Generally speaking when we look at our crop production systems we need about 20 inches of moisture for a corn crop our soils hold about eight to 12 inches depending on where we’re located in Iowa,” she says. Hinz says they need some rain soon to keep the crop conditions from getting worse.

The latest Iowa Drought Monitor showed most of Mahaska County, and all of Keokuk County, under a “Moderate Drought.” Most of Wapello and Monroe Counties are under a “Severe Drought.”