Dry Conditions Plague Southern Plains Wheat

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OMAHA (DTN) — Dry conditions in winter wheat-growing areas of the Southern Plains and corn and sorghum planting getting underway in Texas were among the highlights of weekly Crop Progress and Condition reports issued by some states Monday.

 

USDA's National Agricultural Statistics Service will begin issuing its Crop Progress reports, which give a weekly snapshot of crop development and conditions nationwide, on Monday, April 7.

 

The following are highlights from weekly crop progress reports issued Monday by National Ag Statistics Service offices in individual states. To view the full reports from each state, visit http://bit.ly/…

 

COLORADO

 

Fieldwork was limited last week as cool temperatures prevailed and fields in large portions of Colorado were not yet dry enough for full-scale plantings. There were reports of high winds last week with localized damage to winter wheat. Overall, mountain snowpack was 116{75f28365482020b1dc6796c337e8ca3e58b9dd590dc88a265b514ff5f3f56c30} of average as of March 14. Farmers were allowed 5.0 days in the field for spring operations. Four percent of the winter wheat crop was pastured last week

 

KANSAS

 

For the week ending March 16, 2014, windy conditions and limited precipitation across much of the state drew down topsoil moisture supplies, with much of the western half of the Kansas continuing in severe drought, according to USDA's National Agricultural Statistics Service. Significant precipitation was limited to southeastern counties, where an inch or more was recorded. Available soil moisture continued to be a concern going into spring. Below-normal temperatures limited wheat development which remained behind last year and average. Some spraying occurred during periods when winds were quiet. There were 5.7 days suitable for fieldwork. Topsoil moisture supplies rated 18{75f28365482020b1dc6796c337e8ca3e58b9dd590dc88a265b514ff5f3f56c30} very short, 37{75f28365482020b1dc6796c337e8ca3e58b9dd590dc88a265b514ff5f3f56c30} short and 45{75f28365482020b1dc6796c337e8ca3e58b9dd590dc88a265b514ff5f3f56c30} adequate. Subsoil moisture supplies were rated 20{75f28365482020b1dc6796c337e8ca3e58b9dd590dc88a265b514ff5f3f56c30} very short, 37{75f28365482020b1dc6796c337e8ca3e58b9dd590dc88a265b514ff5f3f56c30} short and 43{75f28365482020b1dc6796c337e8ca3e58b9dd590dc88a265b514ff5f3f56c30} adequate.

 

Winter wheat conditions were rated 5{75f28365482020b1dc6796c337e8ca3e58b9dd590dc88a265b514ff5f3f56c30} very poor, 15{75f28365482020b1dc6796c337e8ca3e58b9dd590dc88a265b514ff5f3f56c30} poor, 46{75f28365482020b1dc6796c337e8ca3e58b9dd590dc88a265b514ff5f3f56c30} fair, 32{75f28365482020b1dc6796c337e8ca3e58b9dd590dc88a265b514ff5f3f56c30} good and 2{75f28365482020b1dc6796c337e8ca3e58b9dd590dc88a265b514ff5f3f56c30} excellent. Winter wheat jointed was 1{75f28365482020b1dc6796c337e8ca3e58b9dd590dc88a265b514ff5f3f56c30}, compared to 3{75f28365482020b1dc6796c337e8ca3e58b9dd590dc88a265b514ff5f3f56c30} last year and 5{75f28365482020b1dc6796c337e8ca3e58b9dd590dc88a265b514ff5f3f56c30} average

 

OKLAHOMA

 

Last week began with spring-like temperatures, followed by a cool front and small amounts of precipitation. Temperature ranged from a high of 87 degrees in Tipton on Tuesday, March 11, to a low of 19 degrees in Hooker on Thursday, March 13. Due to the warmer weather, dry air and high winds, wildfires were a major concern. There were some wildfires experienced in the state last week, but they were not widespread. According to the most recent Drought Monitor, drought conditions continued to advance across the state last week. The majority of the state is rated moderate to severe drought. The majority of the Panhandle and parts of Southwest Oklahoma were rated extreme to exceptional drought. The Panhandle didn't receive any rain at all while the east-central district received 2.01 inches of rain this past week. There were reports of both irrigated and dryland wheat being negatively affected by the drought in the Panhandle. Producers in parts of the Southwest district have yet to begin seedbed preparation due to the high winds. Topsoil moisture conditions were rated 25{75f28365482020b1dc6796c337e8ca3e58b9dd590dc88a265b514ff5f3f56c30} adequate to surplus and 75{75f28365482020b1dc6796c337e8ca3e58b9dd590dc88a265b514ff5f3f56c30} short to very short. Subsoil moisture conditions were rated 18{75f28365482020b1dc6796c337e8ca3e58b9dd590dc88a265b514ff5f3f56c30} adequate to surplus and 82{75f28365482020b1dc6796c337e8ca3e58b9dd590dc88a265b514ff5f3f56c30} short to very short. There were 6.0 days suitable for fieldwork.

 

All small grains were rated mostly fair to poor. Winter wheat was rated 71{75f28365482020b1dc6796c337e8ca3e58b9dd590dc88a265b514ff5f3f56c30} fair to poor, with 1{75f28365482020b1dc6796c337e8ca3e58b9dd590dc88a265b514ff5f3f56c30} rated excellent and 11{75f28365482020b1dc6796c337e8ca3e58b9dd590dc88a265b514ff5f3f56c30} rated very poor. Jointing of winter wheat reached 14{75f28365482020b1dc6796c337e8ca3e58b9dd590dc88a265b514ff5f3f56c30} by Sunday, 16 points behind the previous year and the five year average. Seventy-one percent of oats had been seeded by Sunday, 4 points behind the previous year and 7 points behind the five-year average.

 

Seedbed preparation for row crops was underway; however, some producers in the Southwest part of the state were slightly behind due to the high winds. Corn seedbed preparation reached 34{75f28365482020b1dc6796c337e8ca3e58b9dd590dc88a265b514ff5f3f56c30} by week's end, 6 points behind last year. Sorghum seedbed preparation was 20{75f28365482020b1dc6796c337e8ca3e58b9dd590dc88a265b514ff5f3f56c30} complete and soybean seedbed preparation reached 9{75f28365482020b1dc6796c337e8ca3e58b9dd590dc88a265b514ff5f3f56c30} complete by Sunday, both on track with the previous year. Seedbed preparation of cotton was 32{75f28365482020b1dc6796c337e8ca3e58b9dd590dc88a265b514ff5f3f56c30} complete by the end of the week, 16 points ahead of the five-year average.

 

TEXAS

 

Weather patterns remained unsettled throughout the week. Warmer temperatures were followed by a cold front, which produced thunderstorms in some areas. Areas of the Blacklands, east Texas and south Texas received 1-1.5 inches of precipitation. A half an inch of precipitation was observed in the Lower Valley. The Southern Low Plains received precipitation ranging from a trace to 1 inch. The remainder of the state received no precipitation to a quarter of an inch.

 

Winter wheat in the Blacklands continued to suffer from prior week's freezing temperatures. Irrigated wheat remained in good condition. Oats in South Texas were in good condition, as most of the crop remained green.

 

Recent rains have helped the germination of corn and sorghum in the Coastal Bend. Land preparation continued for corn in North East Texas. Corn planted in South East Texas has not emerged. Producers in the Plains fertilized and irrigated corn and cotton fields.

 

Fifteen percent of the state's corn is planted compared to 10{75f28365482020b1dc6796c337e8ca3e58b9dd590dc88a265b514ff5f3f56c30} last week, 40{75f28365482020b1dc6796c337e8ca3e58b9dd590dc88a265b514ff5f3f56c30} last year and a 5-year average of 31{75f28365482020b1dc6796c337e8ca3e58b9dd590dc88a265b514ff5f3f56c30}. Ten percent of the sorghum is planted, compared to 7{75f28365482020b1dc6796c337e8ca3e58b9dd590dc88a265b514ff5f3f56c30} last week, 25{75f28365482020b1dc6796c337e8ca3e58b9dd590dc88a265b514ff5f3f56c30} last year and a 22{75f28365482020b1dc6796c337e8ca3e58b9dd590dc88a265b514ff5f3f56c30} 5-year average.

 

Wheat is rated 1{75f28365482020b1dc6796c337e8ca3e58b9dd590dc88a265b514ff5f3f56c30} excellent condition, 12{75f28365482020b1dc6796c337e8ca3e58b9dd590dc88a265b514ff5f3f56c30} good, 35{75f28365482020b1dc6796c337e8ca3e58b9dd590dc88a265b514ff5f3f56c30} fair, 33{75f28365482020b1dc6796c337e8ca3e58b9dd590dc88a265b514ff5f3f56c30} poor and 19{75f28365482020b1dc6796c337e8ca3e58b9dd590dc88a265b514ff5f3f56c30} very poor.

 

 

 

© Copyright 2014 DTN/The Progressive Farmer. All rights reserved.

Posted with DTN Permission by Haylie Shipp

 

 

 

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