Rain falling in Kansas last weekend improved the status of the 2013 wheat crop, but much more precipitation is needed to sustain the wheat crop through the winter months.
Throughout Kansas, last weekend's rains were hit-and-miss. Goodland received no precipitation, but Colby received 0.41-inches. Liberal had 0.18-inches, but Ulysses had 1.45-inches. The storm moved from southwest to northeast, dropping a half-inch of rain in Manhattan, nearly an inch in Salina and more than two-inches in southeast Kansas.
Kansas farmers are wrapping up winter wheat planting, with about 90 percent complete, according to the weekly Crop Progress Report, issued by Kansas Agricultural Statistics on October 15. The crop's emergence has been slowed due to dry soil conditions, and just 42 percent of the wheat is in good to excellent condition at this early stage.
Scott Van Allen, Kansas Wheat Commissioner from Conway Springs, said he received an inch of rain shortly after finishing wheat planting last week. Before the rain, just about 60 percent of his newly planted wheat had emerged; the rest should come up now that it has rained. Van Allen, who farms in Sumner County, says wheat acreage in south central Kansas will likely increase due to the drought's impact on fall crops. Much of the area's corn was not harvested; sorghum yields also were compromised by drought.
Throughout Kansas, wheat acres could be up as much as seven percent, says Daryl Strouts, executive director of the Kansas Wheat Alliance.
"In areas of central Kansas, some farmers have gotten caught two years in a row with corn failing on some marginal land. I expect these farmers to shift back to wheat either as part of a crop rotation or permanently," Strouts says.
In 2011-12, farmers planted about five million acres of wheat in central Kansas; as many as 5.5 million acres could be planted this fall. Although eastern Kansas does not produce a lot of wheat compared to the rest of the state, wheat plantings could increase from 700,000 acres planted a year ago to nearly 800,000 acres this year, he adds.
"Eastern Kansas wheat production has doubled in the last five years, and it will be way up again," he says.
Western Kansas is the wildcard. Southwest Kansas farmers have been plagued by drought for several years in a row and soil moisture conditions are still very poor. However, wheat is about the only logical option for those farmers, as irrigation allocations—which are necessary for corn production—have largely been exhausted. "I expect farmers to plant at least as much wheat as they did last year, if not a little more," Strouts says.
Meanwhile, northwest Kansas farmers are expected to plant about the same number of acres as last year, says Justin Gilpin, Kansas Wheat chief executive officer. "At this point, there is just not enough sub-soil moisture to carry the crop to the 2013 harvest," Gilpin says. "Timely rains are going to be critical in order for this crop to have a chance at success." £
Crops
Kansas wheat conditions good for now
- Crops
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Plant now, add nitrogen later
When the rain faucet shuts off, plant first and apply nitrogen later, advises Peter Scharf, University of Missouri Extension agronomy specialist and professor in plant sciences at the MU College of Agriculture, Food and Natural Resources.
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MU Field Scouting Report: No freeze damage to wheat, delayed corn planting
Wheat is in the flag leaf to early boot stage. No freeze damage to the wheat head was seen. Temporary phosphorus deficiency, identified by purpling on leaf tips, was seen due to cold weather.
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Corn planting dates and cold temps cause concern
“The possibility of temperatures nearing 32 degrees or below, there is concern among producers for damage of the wheat head,” said Jill Scheidt, agronomy specialist with the University of Missouri Extension in Barton County. According to Bill Wiebold, state specialist with the University of Missouri Extension, wheat is the most sensitive to freezing temperatures when the heads are coming out and flowers are beginning to form.
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Wildcat Extension Report: Can gypsum fix what ails your soil?
A man much wiser than me once said that the easiest way to change your soil is to move. Unfortunately, this is not always an option for most producers. Soils in southeast Kansas are classified, in general, to be heavy clay soils.
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Kansas wheat growers should be aware of crop diseases
With forecasts of snow still a possibility and the wheat just starting to green up in parts of Kansas, it may surprise some wheat growers to know that March is an important month for wheat disease development.
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Cover crops can provide many benefits
Having plant growth in fields year-round can improve the soil, according to Tim Reinbott, superintendent of the University of Missouri Bradford Research Center. He says using cover crops in the fall and spring can provide large benefits.
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Drought impacts U.S. soybean quality results
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Midwest soil could take up to two years to recover
The Midwest suffered the worst drought in years last summer, and Midwest soil has been suffering from a drought since early 2010. As a result, crops have wilted and farmers have fallen on hard times. Now, a University of Missouri researcher says that it may take at least two years for crops and soil to recover.
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Ag profitability conference addresses crop concerns
Corn and soybean producers face wide-ranging harvest price possibilities for the crops they plant this spring.
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Local growers get latest on new herbicides
Controlling herbicide resistant weeds was the hot topic during the Andrew County Ag. Update conference on Thursday, Jan. 17 in the Clasbey Center in Savannah, Mo.
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Plant now, add nitrogen later
