Texas Crop Progress and Condition

Texas Crop Weather

Issue: TX-CW1908
Released: May 5, 2008
For the week of: April 28 - May 4, 2008

Cooperating Agencies:
   Texas AgriLife Extension Service,
   Texas Department of Agriculture,
   National Weather Service

Maps:
Agricultural District Map

Agricultural Summary: Dry weather with high winds continued across much of the state. Rainfall up to an inch in some areas was observed in East Texas, South Texas, and some of South Central Texas. The rest of the state received little to no rainfall. Some wheat and oats were grazed out due to the dry conditions. Cotton planting was underway in most areas of the Plains. Corn planting continued in the Northern High Plains, while corn was emerging in the Northern Low Plains. Sorghum planting continued in parts of the Plains, while Sorghum planting neared completion in South Texas. Peaches, blueberries, strawberries, and blackberries all made progress in North East Texas. Monitoring of pecan nut case bearer continued in the Edwards Plateau, the Blacklands, and South Central Texas. Top soil moisture was mostly short to adequate across the state. Supplemental feeding of livestock continued in the Plains regions due to the dry pastures and ranges.

Field Crops Report

Small Grains: Some wheat and oats were grazed out due to the dry conditions. Wheat was mostly headed out in Cross Timbers and the Blacklands. Wheat condition was mostly poor to fair statewide. Oat condition was mostly fair to good statewide.

Cotton: Cotton land continued to be prepared and pre-watered in anticipation of the upcoming plantings in the Plains.

Corn: Corn planting continued in the Northern High Plains, while corn was emerging in the Northern Low Plains. Corn condition was mostly fair to good statewide.

Sorghum: Sorghum planting continued in the some of the Plains, and Sorghum planting continued to come to a close in South Texas. Sorghum condition was mostly fair to good statewide.

Soybeans: Soybean condition was mostly fair to good statewide.

Rice: Rice condition was mostly fair to good statewide.

Fruit, Vegetable and Specialty Crop Report

Peaches, blueberries, strawberries, and blackberries all made progress in North East Texas. Green bean harvest began in South Texas, and onion harvest continued in the Lower Valley.

Pecans: Monitoring of pecan nut case bearer continued in the Edwards Plateau, the Blacklands, and South Central Texas.

Livestock, Pasture and Range Report

Supplemental feeding of livestock continued in the Plains regions due to the dry pastures and ranges. Range and pasture condition was mostly fair to good statewide.

Crop Progress Table - May 4, 2008
Crop	Stage	2008	2007	Average 2003-2007
Crop	Stage	Percent
Corn	Planted	72	79	83
	Emerged	60	67	67
	Silked (Tasseled)	0	1	1
Cotton	Planted	24	24	25
Peanuts	Planted	15	7	10
Rice	Planted	98	83	91
Rice	Emerged	90	71	82
Sorghum	Planted	66	63	56
Sorghum	Headed	1	6	3
Soybeans	Planted	81	76	70
Soybeans	Emerged	48	48	23
Sunflowers	Planted	13	39	28
Winter Wheat	Headed	56	64	68
Oats	Headed	86	95	82
Oats	Harvested	1	1	0

Crop Condition Table - May 4, 2008
Crop	Excellent	Good	Fair	Poor	Very Poor	Index ^1/
Crop	Percent					2008	2007
Corn	8	48	34	7	3	74	77
Rice	2	28	66	4	0	68	77
Sorghum	3	35	40	17	5	63	89
Soybeans	3	61	35	1	0	79	78
Wheat	4	16	31	24	25	45	81
Oats	7	44	28	10	11	67	67
Range & Pasture	5	29	36	19	11	--	--
1/ The formula for the condition index is I = (5V + 25P + 60F + 90G + 110E)/100 where I = crop condition index and V, P, F, G, E = percentage of crop rated very poor, poor, fair, good, excellent.

Top Soil Moisture by District - May 4, 2008*
Condition	1-N	1-S	2-N	2-S	3	4	5-N	5-S	6	7	8-N	8-S	9	10-N	10-S
Condition	Percent of Acreage
Very Short	70	59	42	17	3	1	0	6	60	30	3	42	6	62	40
Short	29	36	42	32	23	6	3	34	27	41	54	40	27	33	33
Adequate	1	5	16	51	73	91	81	56	13	29	43	18	47	5	27
Surplus	0	0	0	0	1	2	16	4	0	0	0	0	20	0	0
* High Plains: 1-N, 1-S; Low Rolling Plains: 2-N, 2-S; North Central Plains: 3, 4; East Texas: 5-N, 5-S. Trans-Pecos: 6; Edwards Plateau: 7; South Central Texas: 8-N, 8-S; Upper Coast: 9; South Texas: 10-N; Lower Valley: 10-S.

Weather Information Table ^{1/ 2/}
National Weather Service Climatic Divisions	Previous Week (April 28 - May 4) Accumulation	Month-to-Date (April 1 - 30) Accumulation	Year-to-Date (Jan 1 - May 4) Accumulation	1961-90 Annual Normal	Previous Three Months (Jan - Mar) Percent of Normal
High Plains	0.00	0.56	0.90	18.87	16
Low Rolling Plains	0.00	1.93	3.33	23.78	43
North Central Texas	0.00	3.19	9.23	34.00	91
East Texas	0.18	2.83	12.92	45.69	93
Trans-Pecos	0.00	0.03	0.35	12.96	27
Edwards Plateau	0.02	1.22	3.54	24.01	65
South Central Texas	0.16	1.81	5.85	34.48	63
Upper Coast	0.04	2.05	11.11	47.63	101
South Texas	0.32	0.97	2.35	23.49	34
Lower Valley	0.32	1.22	3.47	25.34	54
1/ Average of all stations reporting precipitation data. 2/ High Plains: 1-N, 1-S; Low Rolling Plains: 2-N, 2-S; North Central Texas: 3, 4; East Texas: 5-N, 5-S. Trans-Pecos: 6; Edwards Plateau: 7; South Central Texas: 8-N, 8-S; Upper Coast: 9; South Texas: 10-N; Lower Valley: 10-S.
For more information, please visit the following web sites: www.srh.noaa.gov/rfcshare/precip_analysis_new.php and www.drought.unl.edu/dm/monitor.html