By TIM ALEXANDER
Illinois Correspondent

BLOOMINGTON, Ill. — While farmers in the Hurt Drainage District in western Illinois’ Hancock County and other areas in the Midwest suffered a total crop loss as a result of massive Mississippi River flooding, others - in less hard-hit areas - are busy tearing out their damaged crops and replanting in order to salvage a harvest in 2008.

“We have seen, statewide, a lot of replanting outside the badly flooded areas,” said John Hawkins, communications director for the Illinois Farm Bureau. “During last week’s dry weather, a lot of farmers went out and tore up their grounded crop and replanted. Some replanted corn, while many others have switched to or replanted soybeans.”

Bob Frazee, University of Illinois extension natural resources educator, said those replanting soybeans after flooding should follow practices used when double-cropping soybeans after harvesting winter wheat – but only after fields have dried enough to prevent soil compaction.

“The lateness of planting affects the vegetative growth, flowering and seed production of the soybean plant, which is why changes in management are needed in order to still plant and get a harvestable crop of soybeans by fall,” Frazee told Farm World.

“Historically, the main problem encountered with double-cropping soybeans is when an exceptionally early frost occurs in the fall, before the soybeans have reached maturity,” Frazee wrote in a news release issued last week. “Research from throughout the Midwest suggests that planting with a grain drill is best to obtain the full yield potential of double-cropped soybeans, though 15-inch rows may produce yields almost as high.”

According to Frazee, double-cropped soybeans are usually shorter in height at harvest time and thus more responsive to narrow-row planting. In addition, research shows that increasing plant densities by 50-100 percent allows greater numbers of small soybean plants to capture sunlight effectively.

And, because July and August are typically hot with little rain, Frazee emphasizes planting double-cropped soybeans with a no-till drill is an effective means of conserving soil moisture.

“Double-cropped soybeans typically germinate in a much warmer environment than when planted in May, and thus will result in rapid emergence if soil moisture is available,” he said, “though higher temperatures, especially at night, will limit vegetative development before flowering begins.”

Soybean varieties best suited for double-cropping include “high-yielding varieties classified as mid-season to full-season for the area,” said Frazee. Varieties with a determinate growth habit should not be planted, as this will result in an extremely short plant with low yield, he suggested.

“A recipe for successful double-cropped soybeans needs to include narrow row spacings, high plant densities per acre, varieties classified as midseason to full season for the area, management that helps conserve soil moisture and a first fall frost that is no earlier than average,” he summarized.

For those farmers considering replanting corn, Iowa State University extension corn specialist Roger Elmore suggests studying the economics of the situation before plunging in. He told news sources that farmers need to ask if the potential return on the corn crop justifies the time and expense of replanting.

He also said before replanting, make sure soil conditions are proper. Even though not a lot is known regarding planting a successful corn crop this late in the year, many farmers are planning on taking the risk, according to Elmore.

“The high price of corn is completely changing the equation,” Elmore was quoted in AgWeb. “It is making farmers do things beyond the ordinary.”