Saskatchean Crops Behind Normal
REGINA - Jul 14/1 - SNS -- Saskatchewan's crops are eveloping more slowly than normal in the face of a cool, damp summer, according to the latest crop progress report from Saskatchewan Agriculture.
Some warmer weather has helped advance crops; however, most are still one to two weeks behind normal in development. Roughly 62% of the provinces fall-seeded cereals are at a normal stage of development, but 67% of the spring-seeded cereals, 66% of the oilseeds and 58% of the pulses are behind normal in development.
Now, 82% of the winter wheat, 87% of the fall rye and 91% of the triticale are in good to excellent condition. Meanwhile, 79% of the spring wheat, 82% of the durum, 78% of the oats, barley and flax, 73% of the canola, 83% of the mustard, 76% of the lentils, 77% of the peas, 77% of the canaryseed and 89% of the chickpeas are in good to fair condition.
The majority of crop damage is caused by flooding, hail and wind. Leaf diseases, root rot and gophers are also causing damage. Grasshoppers are causing crop damage in areas in the south.
Cropland topsoil moisture is rated as 38% surplus, 60% adequate and 2% short. Topsoil moisture on hay land and pasture is rated as 23% surplus, 75% adequate and 2% short.
Southeastern Saskatchewan (Crop Districts 1, 2, and 3ASE)
The region received varying amounts of precipitation over the past week. The Kisbey, Maryfield, Moosomin and Vibank areas avoided the moisture, while the Stoughton area received 63 mm, the Kennedy area 55 mm, the Weyburn area 68 mm, the Moose Jaw area 20 mm and the Ceylon area 29 mm.
Topsoil moisture conditions on cropland are reported as 38% surplus, 60% adequate and 2% short. On hay land and pasture, topsoil moisture is rated as 26% surplus, 73% adequate and 1% short. Crop District 2B is reporting 53% surplus and 47% adequate topsoil moisture on cropland.
Crop damage is mostly attributed to flooding, hail and wind. Hail was reported in the Kisbey, Weyburn and Pangman areas. Ascochtya blight and leaf diseases are causing damage as well.
Warm and sunny weather is needed to speed crop development and to get the hay crop up in good condition. Farmers are busy controlling weeds in chem-fallow and applying fungicides. Crop staging varies across the region. Areas in CD 3ASE could use a little rain after missing many of the rain showers. Crops are at a critical stage when moisture would be beneficial.
Farmers are busy cutting hay, scouting crops and controlling weeds and diseases.
Crop reporters are indicating that crops look pretty good where there is drainage.
Southwestern Saskatchewan (Crop Districts 3ASW, 3AN, 3B and 4)
The region received varying amounts of precipitation over the past week. Most areas recorded less than 10 mm of rain; however, there were areas that received thunderstorms. The Viceroy area received 20 mm of rain, the Coderre area 32 mm, the Vanguard area 7 mm, the Stewart Valley area 27 mm, the Leader and Fox Valley areas 12 mm and the Maple Creek area 10 mm.
Cropland topsoil moisture is rated as 16% surplus, 75% adequate, 8% short and 1% very short. Hay land and pasture topsoil moisture conditions are 7% surplus, 87% adequate, 4% short and 2% very short.
Crop damage has been caused by flooding, hail and grasshoppers. Hail was reported in the Viceroy, Ponteix, Cadillac, Glenbain, Eastend and Shaunavon areas. Hail damage was evident on some crops and hay fields in the Viceroy area. Gophers, ascochyta blight and root rot are also causing crop damage. Grasshoppers damage in CD 3BN is noticeable on the late-seeded crops.
The region has 22% of the hay cut and 17% baled or put into silage.
Quality is predicted to be good to excellent, provided the rain does not cause quality damage. Farmers are expecting good hay yields. Hay is slow to dry due to high humidity, heavy swaths and rain showers.
Farmers are busy scouting fields and controlling weeds, diseases and grasshoppers.
Crop staging varies from field to field. One reporter commented that some farmers were seeding for 30 or more days due to rain interruptions, which will make for a long harvest season. Mustard and canola are flowering and some fields are in the podding stage. Cereals are starting to head. Areas in CD 3BS could use some rain. The recent heat and wind has dried the soil, and shallow-rooted crops need a bit of moisture at this important stage of development. Some areas have received no significant rainfall since June 17. Within RMs, rainfall varies from nil to 50 mm. Early-seeded crops look in better condition than the later-seeded crops.
East-Central Saskatchewan (Crop Districts 5 and 6a)
Rain continues to fall on the region, although in lesser amounts than in previous weeks. During the past week, the region received precipitation varying from nil to 33 mm. Most areas in the region recorded more than 15 mm of rain. The Stockholm area received 20 mm of rain, the Foam Lake area received 33 mm, the Kuroki area 22 mm, the Bradwell area 32 mm, the Holdfast area 24 mm and the Kenaston area 11 mm.
Since April 1, between 202 mm and 586 mm of rain has fallen on the region.
Topsoil moisture remains relatively unchanged from last week. Topsoil moisture on cropland is reported as 67% surplus and 33% adequate. Hay land and pasture topsoil moisture is rated as 51% surplus and 49% adequate.
Flooding continues to cause the majority of crop damage. Hail was reported in the Ituna, Foam Lake, Rama and Meacham areas. Leaf diseases, ascochyta blight and anthracnose are also causing crop damage.
Haying is underway, with 10% of the crop cut and 5% baled or put into silage. Quality is reported as good, depending on flooding and the amount of rain on the swaths. Heavy swaths are slow to dry due to high humidity and rain.
In some areas that received little rain last week, farmers were able to get back onto the land. Canola crops are thin and fields continue to yellow from excess moisture. Aerial spraying is continuing in areas that are too wet for ground-based application. There were reports of some farmers spraying out entire fields due to high weed pressure. In CD 6A, fields tend to be not as wet and farmers are busy controlling weeds and diseases. Crops vary in staging. Canola, peas and lentils are blooming, and some cereals are starting to head.
West-Central Saskatchewan (Crop Districts 6B and 7)
Most of the region received between 3 mm and 41 mm of rain during the past week. The Elbow and Eston areas received 41 mm, the Sonningdale area received 5 mm, the Biggar area 5 mm, the Unity area 28 mm and the Luseland area 12 mm.
Cropland topsoil moisture is rated as 30% surplus, 69% adequate and 1% short. Hay land and pasture topsoil moisture conditions are rated as 24% surplus, 75% adequate and 1% short.
The majority of crop damage is due to flooding and hail. Areas that received hail include Harris, Herschel, Kerrobert, Luseland, Scott, Battleford and Unity. Leaf diseases, ascochyta blight, anthracnose, tan spot and net blotch are showing up in crops.
Haying continues, with 16% of the crop cut and 7% baled or put into silage. Quality is rated as good to excellent. Some producers are concerned about getting the hay crop put up in good condition. The hay is slow to dry due to rain, heavy swaths and high humidity. Haying has not really started in some areas due to the unsettled weather. Heat and sun are needed.
Crops have progressed fairly nicely in the past few weeks. Wet areas are still causing some disease and weed control problems. Farmers are busy controlling weeds in chem-fallow. Haying continues between the rains, and some producers are having to turn swaths to speed drying. Crops are looking pretty good, although they are one to two weeks behind normal in development. Lentils and canola are blooming, and cereals are catching up in development.
Northeastern Saskatchewan (Crop Districts 8 and 9AE)
Rain was reported in the region last week, although in lesser amounts compared to previous weeks. Rainfall varied from 3 to 19 mm. The Porcupine Plain, Codette, Vonda and Prince Albert areas received 3 mm. The Tisdale area received 12 mm, the Melfort area 19 mm and the Nipawin area 5 mm.
Cropland topsoil moisture is rated as 57% surplus and 43% adequate.
Hay land and pasture topsoil moisture is rated as 30% surplus and 70% adequate.
Crop damage is due to flooding. Hail was reported in the Arborfield area. Wheat midge have been reported in the Arborfield and Star City areas, and farmers are taking steps to control them. Tan spot, root rot and ascochyta blight were also reported.
Haying is underway, with 11% of the crop cut and 6% baled or put into silage. Quality is rated as good to excellent. Producers are concerned about how much hay will be cut and put up in good condition if the rain continues.
Crops are patchy and continue to suffer from excess moisture (yellowing). Some crops have been sprayed out where sprayers can get onto the land as weed pressures have become too great or growth/emergence is too poor. Farmers are busy controlling diseases. Where the fields are able to support equipment, cultivators are being used to smooth ruts in the field. A week with little rain has improved some crop conditions.
Canola and peas are flowering; cereals are in the flag leaf to heading stages. Field work continues to be a challenge.
Northwestern Saskatchewan (Crop Districts 9AW and 9B)
The region received between trace amounts and 55 mm of rain during the past week. The Leask area received 22 mm of rain, the Frenchman Butte area 49 mm, the Glaslyn area 55 mm, the Pierceland and Radisson areas received 4 mm and the Lloydminster area 21 mm.
Topsoil moisture conditions for cropland are 4% surplus, 92% adequate and 4% short. Pasture and hay land conditions are 97% adequate and three% short.
Most of the reported crop damage has been attributed to hail. Hail was reported in the Hafford, Medstead and Turtleford area. Flooding is also causing crop damage in some areas.
Haying is underway, with 10% of the crop cut and 4% baled or put into silage. Quality is predicted to be good to excellent; yields look good. Quality will be uncertain until more is baled. Pastures are looking good.
Farmers are busy scouting fields and controlling weeds and diseases. Crops look pretty good for the most part, except in low areas where they were flooded out or stressed from moisture. Crops are at varying stages of development. Some crops are blooming.
A few areas that are reporting dry conditions, although not to the point of causing crop stress. Canola crops seem to be showing more signs of stress than other crops. An intense thunderstorm in the Glaslyn and Frenchman Butte areas resulted in a 12-hour power outage.