2025 Crop Conditions Tour Summary

Penn State Extension educators visited 59 corn and 49 soybean fields across 29 counties during our 2025 Crops Conditions Tour at the end of August. Planting date variations due to wet spring weather has positioned crop development against varying stages of moisture deficit and surplus.

Background

Several distinct stretches of weather across the state have largely set the stage for our corn and soybean growing season. Much of the state saw a period of dry weather during February, March, and April, followed by (almost) continuously rainy weather from mid-May to late June. Though rainy, growing degree day accumulation trended closely to our 10-year average, suggesting that many fields were not dangerously cool while moisture accumulated. During July, portions of the state saw extreme rainfall totals in a matter of days, while other areas saw almost no appreciable rainfall at all. As August came around, statewide rainfall almost ceased, triggering a USDA disaster area designation in 18 contiguous counties across central and southeastern Pennsylvania. Though rainfall trends were largely echoed across many portions of the state, differences in planting dates has led to the largest variation in development at critical crop growth stages. Rainfall, continued warm weather, and a late frost will be critical to help late-planted acres finish grain fill and reach physiological maturity throughout the rest of September.

At the Southeast Agricultural Research and Extension Center, located in Lancaster County, cumulative precipitation (Figure 1) far exceeded the 10-year average for the growing season window, between May 12th (planting) and September 2nd (current day). Rainfall accumulation for the period was approximately 8.3 inches (45 percent) above the 10-year average. At the Russell E. Larson Agricultural Research Center, located in Centre County, rainfall totals (Figure 2) have reached approximately 0.6 inches (3 percent) above the 10-year average during the same period. Rainfall events at the Centre County location may represent the central, northern, and western regions of the state, where rainfall timing and intensity, not rainfall totals, are the limiting factor in crop development.

Growing degree day accumulation is illustrated in the next series of charts from the same locations examined earlier; we use growing degree day accumulation to try to highlight the larger trends in seasonal temperature fluctuations. Though growing degree days have a larger influence on the rate of maturation in corn than soybeans, identifying seasonal trends tends to signal periods of rapid or delayed growth. SEAREC (Lancaster County) accumulated 275 fewer growing degree days (base 50/86°F) than the 10-year moving average, while RELARC (Centre County) accumulated 63 fewer growing degree days than normal.

Use caution when interpreting the values in the charts above; these sites are just two of the 100 fields that educators toured during the 2025 Crops Tour. Some of the local limiting factors beyond individual rainfall and growing degree day accumulations might include planting date, timing of rainfall, and onset of cool, fall weather (or frost).

Corn Condition and Outlook

The average tour-wide corn yield was 179 bushels per acre, up 33 bushels or 23 percent from the 2024 tour. Educators overall thought yields and quality seemed close to average to below average. Table 1 breaks the state into regions based on growing season and weather patterns. 

*Does not include two irrigated fields, estimated 319 bushels per acre

Average data and observations for other factors are listed by region below:

West

Included Beaver, Butler, Fayette, Greene, Lawrence, and Washington Counties

• Planting date: April 23 to May 27
• Relative maturity: 106 days
• Harvestable ears: 26,286 per acre
• Growth stage at time of tour: R4 to R6
• Diseases: Gray leaf spot, northern corn leaf blight, some ear molds
• Pests: Vertebrate damage noted in most fields (deer, bird, raccoon), some severe. 
• Abiotic issues: Some tip-back on marginal ground

Northern Tier

Included Wyoming, Carbon, and Bradford Counties

• Planting date: Late April through June
• Relative maturity: 99 days
• Harvestable ears: 26,571 per acre
• Growth stage at time of tour: R3 to R5
• Diseases: Widespread gray leaf spot, minor tar spot, northern corn leaf blight
• Pests: Minor to moderate vertebrate (deer, bird) damage at several fields
• Abiotic issues: Tip-back and early firing noted at some fields

Central 

Included Bedford, Blair, Centre, Columbia, Huntingdon, Perry, Schuylkill, Somerset, and Union Counties

• Planting date: April 19 to June 12
• Relative maturity: 103 days
• Harvestable ears: 29,352 per acre
• Growth stage at time of tour: R3 to R6
• Diseases: Gray leaf spot, minor tar spot, one location with Fusarium 
• Pests: Unidentified insect feeding on ears, some stinkbug damage
• Abiotic issues: Widespread tip-back, several noted small kernels and ears, one location with tassel wrap

Southeast 

Included Adams, Berks, Cumberland, Franklin, Lancaster, Lebanon, Montgomery, and York Counties

• Planting dates: April 19 to June 12
• Growth stage at time of tour: R4 to R5
• Relative maturity: 111 days
• Harvestable ears: 31,434 per acre
• Diseases –  Widespread minor gray leaf spot, minor tar spot
• Pests – some stinkbug
• Abiotic issues – Multiple locations noting barren ears, one location with tassel wrap, less tipback noted than other regions

Abiotic Issues

Tassel wrap has been in the news this summer due to our abundant heat and moisture leading up to pollination. Scientists at Corteva note that this developmental abnormality tends to show up in some hybrids more frequently than others, and that doesn't always, but can reduce kernel set and therefore, yield.

Photo 1. Tassel wrap in Franklin County. Credit Tosh Mazzone, Penn State Extension

Tip-back is a word used to describe when corn does not fill kernels all the way to the tip of the ear. This is a common occurrence, and a slight tip-back is expected if farmers are pushing yields. However, excessive tip-back this year was likely due to kernel abortion from drought and/or heat stress during early kernel development.

Please note that our corn yield estimates have historically been slightly higher than USDA NASS annual report values, though our estimates reflect the same up-and-down trends shown by USDA NASS.

Soybean Condition and Outlook

Educators noted that overall, soybeans had few pest and disease issues. Pod counts were close to or better than average this year (we use pod counts due to the inaccuracy of soybean yield estimates at this time of year). Despite good pod numbers, many educators noted more "two seed" than "three seed" pods, and seeds that have filled are smaller than normal. Table 2 breaks the state into regions based on growing season and weather patterns.

Average data and observations for other factors are listed by region below:

West

Included Beaver, Butler, Fayette, Greene, Indiana, Lawrence, Mercer, and Washington Counties

• Planting date: April 22 to June 11
• Maturity group: 3.2
• Growth stage at time of tour: R5 to R6
• Diseases: Low levels of frogeye leaf spot, downy mildew
• Pests: Deer damage noted in multiple fields
• Abiotic issues: Low populations due to wet spring

 Northern Tier

Included Wyoming, Carbon, and Bradford Counties

• Planting dates: April 19 to June 27
• Maturity group: insufficient data
• Growth stage at time of tour: R6
• Diseases: Mild frogeye leaf spot
• Pests: Light to moderate deer pressure
• Abiotic issues:  Some noted tall beans at risk of lodging; some severe drought stress

 Central

Included Bedford, Blair, Centre, Columbia, Huntingdon, Perry, Schuylkill, Somerset, and Union Counties

• Planting dates: April 19 to June 12
• Maturity group: 3.2 (range 1.9 to 3.7)
• Growth stage at time of tour: R5 to R7
• Diseases: Scattered white mold
• Pests: Widespread low to moderate deer damage, scattered defoliating insect damage, some weed escapes including Palmer amaranth and waterhemp noted
• Abiotic issues: Drought stress and early drying down noted

Southeast

Included Adams, Berks, Cumberland, Franklin, Lancaster, Lebanon, Montgomery, and York Counties

• Planting dates: April 18 to May 27
• Growth stage at time of tour: R5-R7
• Maturity group: 3.3 (2.9-4.0)
• Diseases – downy mildew
• Pests – Low-level Japanese beetle and stinkbug feeding; Significant grasshopper feeding at a few locations
• Abiotic issues – Tall plants noted across several locations, starting to lodge or at risk of lodging; drought stress at a few locations

Educators expressed that soybean yield potential is there for soybeans, however, the dry conditions we continue to experience will reduce the size of existing seeds, and some seeds may be aborted, resulting in educators predicting average to lower than average yields.

Final Thoughts

It can be valuable to check crop condition and estimate yield in your own fields to reduce yield monitor shock, or quality surprises at the mill. Our team continues to use the yield component method for estimating corn yield on this tour, and we have found it reasonably accurate compared to harvest data. However, understand that no matter how well you randomly sample, replicate, and follow the protocol, these estimates are an educated guess

A hearty thanks to all the educators for their contributions to this year's tour: Adriana Murillo-Williams, Andrew Frankenfield, Ashley Isaacson, Casey Guindon, Del Voight, Dwane Miller, Erin Kuprinka, Jeff Graybill, Heidi Reed, Justin Brackenrich, Leanna Duppstadt, Ryan Spelman, Stephen Campbell, and Zack Curtis.