The impact of dry conditions and high temperatures continue to be evident in crops across Manitoba, according to the latest weekly crop report on Tuesday.
Many crops are maturing faster than normal and grain and pod filling in cereals, canola and peas will be affected by heat and lack of moisture this week, the report said, adding that grasshopper feeding has also become more widespread.
Southwest:
Another hot and dry week in the southwest with no significant moisture. Showers were recorded in some areas, with Virden and Boissevain receiving 12 to 14 mm of rain. Highs for daytime temperatures ranged from 30 to close to 33°C this past week. Minimum overnight temperatures ranged from 4 to 8°C, with average temperatures of 15 to 19°C. Any precipitation is welcome and all areas of the region remain short for moisture. Rainfall in some areas has been very beneficial, but regular rains will be necessary to take crops to harvest. Growing degree days and corn heat units are close to normal. Precipitation continues to be normal to below normal. Topsoil moisture is currently short to very short for most of the region. All crops are shorter than normal. Stands are poor in areas of lowest rainfall.
Northwest:
A cooler start to the week followed by intense heat for a number of days continued to cause crop stress and deplete soil moisture throughout the Northwest Region. Temperatures reached the mid 30s for multiple days last week. These high temperatures are advancing the crop quickly. The effects of the continued dry conditions and intense heat is readily apparent in fields throughout the northwest region; bare patches, stunted growth and generally poor conditions are evident in fields.
A storm moved through the region Sunday/Monday that resulted in 5- 18mm of precipitation in the Swan River and The Pas areas; this helped ease conditions somewhat in those locations. The storm also brought strong winds that caused some lodging in cereals. The accumulated rainfall as a percent of long-term normal is lowest in areas around Dauphin/Ste. Rose in the southeastern parts of the region. Soil moisture is rated as 75% in the categories of short/very short especially on lighter soils.
Spring cereals across the region are heading out with 75% in the milk stage. Cereals are still rated at 70% in good condition, as they have been better able to withstand the challenging conditions. Yield potential of the cereal crop is still positive. Winter wheat and fall rye are turning in the Roblin and Dauphin areas. Canola across the region is very variable with about 50% of the canola crop in the region rated as good with the remainder in fair to poor condition. The canola is patchy, shorter than normal, stagey and many fields have bare spots. These effects are the result of dry conditions, insect feeding, spring frost and wind. The majority of the canola is flowering with some of the later seeded or reseeded crops still bolting. The hot weather has resulted in some flower abortion in canola. The peas are still flowering and starting to pod and fill; the soybeans are flowering.
Central:
Sunny warm conditions prevailed for the week with no meaningful rain received except for isolated showers, leaving most of the region without any rainfall. Baldur recorded the most rain with 5 mm this week. Temperatures were cool at the start of the week gradually warming up to mid-thirties daytime high by the weekend. Nighttime temperatures were generally cool and dipped as low as 4 C on Wednesday morning west of the escarpment, wind speeds were moderate throughout.
Topsoil moisture is very poor to fair and declining as crops continue to extract whatever available moisture remains. Rain is needed to replenish soil moisture in all areas of the region as crops and forage evapotranspiration continues. Damage is already done for many crops in the region. Sunny, warming temperatures are in the forecast this week, which should continue to stress crops and forage stands.
Eastern:
Rainfall recorded at the Eastern weather stations ranged from 0-6 mm across the region. There are no areas in the region that received much rain and crops are showing it. Crops in southern areas that did get some rain last week are still looking better than more Central and Northern areas. Crop development continues to be pushed on at a rapid pace with the high temperatures. Yield potential for earlier season crops will likely be affected, especially in the canola. Later season crops like corn, soybean and sunflowers would still greatly benefit from some timely substantial rain.
All of the Southeast region is in need of rain, a good gentle soaker with an inch or two would help a lot. Subsoils continue to dry out as roots draw on it for plant needs. Winter wheat and fall rye are in the seed filling stage. Moisture demands continue to be high on these crops. Time will tell if the root systems are deep enough to tap into sub-soil moisture to finish grain filling. Spring cereals are finished flowering and are in the milk or early seed fill stage. As with the winter cereals the spring cereals will also depend on deeper roots to help with seed filling.
Interlake:
Dry conditions continue across the Interlake Region. Warm season crops are coping with heat and drought stress better than the cool season crops. All crops are short and drought symptoms are evident on some lighter textured ridges. Overall crop condition is rated as fair. Fall rye and winter wheat are in the milk or dough stages. Plants are turning. The majority of spring wheat and barley are in the milk stage, with the remainder in late flower. Oats range in stage from stem elongation to milk. Fungicide applications were done on a few fields. Some fields are being sprayed for grasshoppers if in close proximity to hay fields or grassland areas that are being cut and baled. The majority of canola is in full bloom, with a small percent podded, and later seeded canola is in the rosette stage. Most sunflowers are in the vegetative stage, with bud development occurring in some cases.
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