With all of the corn planted and most of the soybean, now is the time to start evaluating plant stands. Corn germination and emergence were prolonged by cooler than normal temperatures that occurred during planting. Cool soil conditions (<50–55 °F) also predispose seedlings to infection by a number of fungi that cause seedling disease, and can result in seedling death. Therefore, as you start to assess plant stands, it is important to dig up seedlings every now and then to check general root health. Uneven emergence and stunted seedlings may indicate seedling disease but also can be due to insect feeding and herbicide damage.