Rain Chances Finally Improve After a Dry Start to May

May 18, 2020

By Pam Knox

The forecast for rain on Saturday did not look too hopeful for rain in Georgia, but the latest forecast released today looks a lot more favorable for at least an inch of rain this week. We won’t see much if anything from Tropical Storm Arthur, which will be off to our east, but a complex system of fronts and a cut-off low are expected to bring an inch to central Georgia and potentially several inches to the northeast mountains in the next week. The driest period is likely to be next weekend, with showers on and off this week. On Monday there is a slight chance of severe weather, especially in the northeast part of Georgia, but it is not expected to be a big outbreak if anything materializes. Keep an eye out just in case. The rain is sorely needed as we have had almost no rain in the first half of May, although temperatures have been quite cool, and producers have been worried about going into a flash drought. Hopefully the rain this week will give everyone some hope of a return to a wetter pattern.

Source : uga.edu

Video: Sclerotinia and Lygus in Seed Canola: Field Update with George Lubberts, CCA | Enchant, Alberta

Join Certified Crop Advisor George Lubberts for this Prairie Certified Crop Advisor (Prairie CCA) field update from Enchant, Alberta. In this 12th video of the series, George takes us into a seed canola field where the male rows have been removed and the female plants are filling pods. This video was taken in the third week of August 2025.

George discusses the early signs of sclerotinia stem rot, explaining how infection begins in the stem, impacts pod development, and leads to premature ripening. He also shares insights on lygus bug management, including timing of spray applications to minimize feeding damage and maintain seed size and quality.

With cool, damp summer conditions, George notes that while disease pressure is present, overall field health remains good. The crop is just beginning to show early seed colour change, signaling progress toward maturity.

Topics Covered:

•Sclerotinia stem rot identification and impact

•Managing lygus bugs in seed canola

•Crop stage and seed colour change observations

•Timing insecticide sprays for optimal protection

•Insights from a CCA field perspective in southern Alberta