Scattered Rain This Week Won’t Keep up With Thirsty Crops

 

There is scattered rain in the forecast every day this week, but the total amounts predicted for the week, ranging from less than half an inch along Florida’s East Coast to about 1.5 inches in eastern Virginia, will be barely enough to keep up with water demands from many of the Southeast’s crops. Many crops like cotton, peanuts, and pecans, are at their near peak need for water, and with temperatures expected to be warmer than normal most of the week, evapotranspiration levels will remain high. The only tropical wave in the Atlantic right now has only a small chance of developing into a storm, so we can’t expect any relief from the tropics on the short term.

 

 

 

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