Texas Crop Weather Issue: TX-CW3309 Released: August 17, 2009 For the week of: August 10 - 16, 2009 Agricultural Summary: The Plains observed up to 6 inches of rainfall while the Trans-Pecos and Upper Coast observed up to 3 inches of rainfall. The central and southern parts of the state received a trace to 2 inches of moisture. Producers prepared to plant wheat and oat fields in the northern part of the state. Corn progressed well in the Northern High Plains. Sorghum continued to mature in the Northern Low Plains. Cotton was blooming and setting bolls in the Plains. Grain Sorghum suffered due to the hot, dry condition in the Southern Low Plains. Grain sorghum and soybeans neared harvest while corn harvest was active in the Blacklands. Corn harvest was active in North East Texas. Cotton bolls were beginning to open, producers began to cultivate fields in preparation for wheat and oat planting, and peanuts continued to be irrigated in South Texas. Supplemental feeding of livestock was ongoing across most of the state. Recent rainfall improved range and pasture conditions in the northern and central part of the state. Top soil moisture was mostly very short to adequate across the state. Field Crops Report Small Grains: Producers prepared to plant wheat and oat fields in the northern part of the state. Producers began to cultivate fields in preparation for wheat and oat planting in South Texas, however, soil moisture was needed. Cotton: In the Northern High Plains, cotton progressed well; however, the crop was in need of heat units. Cotton was setting bolls in the Plains and bolls were beginning to open in South Texas. In the Trans-Pecos, cotton progressed well. In the Edwards Plateau hot and dry conditions caused cotton to suffer. Cotton condition was mostly fair to good state-wide. Corn: Corn progressed well in the Northern High Plains due to light insect activity and recent rainfall. Army worms caused stress on corn in the Northern Low Plains. Corn harvest was active in the Blacklands and North East Texas. Corn condition was mostly very poor to good state-wide. Sorghum: Grain sorghum progressed well due to the recent rainfall in parts of the Northern High Plains. Grain Sorghum suffered due to the hot, dry condition in the Southern Low Plains. Sorghum continued to mature in the Northern Low Plains. Sorghum progressed well in the Edwards Plateau; however, the crop was in need of moisture. Sorghum continued to suffer in South Texas due to drought conditions. Sorghum condition was mostly very poor to fair state-wide. Peanuts: Diseases caused stress on peanuts in the Southern High Plains. Producers sprayed for leaf spot in the Northern Low Plains. Wild hogs caused damage to peanuts in the Southern Low Plains. In South Texas, peanuts continued to develop with irrigation. Peanut condition was mostly fair to good state-wide. Rice: Rice condition was mostly fair to good state-wide. Soybeans: Soybeans progressed well in the Blacklands due to the recent rainfall. Soybean condition was mostly fair to good state-wide. Fruit, Vegetable and Specialty Crop Report Sunflowers progressed well in the Southern High Plains. Chilies were in full bloom in the Trans-Pecos and progressed well. Pecan: Pecans continued to progress well in the Cross Timbers, however, pecans suffered in areas affected by the late freeze. Irrigation was active in the Edwards Plateau while producers sprayed for shuck worm and pecan weevil. Livestock, Range and Pasture Report Supplemental feeding of livestock was ongoing across most of the state. Stock tank levels across the state remained low. Weaning of lambs and goats began in the Edwards Plateau. Livestock herd liquidation continued in localized parts of the state. Recent rainfall improved range and pasture conditions in the northern and central part of the state. Range and pastures in the southern part of the state continued to remain dry. Crop Progress Table - August 16, 2009 ------------------------------------------------------ Percent Crop Stage --------------------------- 2009 2008 Avg 2004-2008 ------------------------------------------------------ Corn Silked 98 98 99 Dough 87 86 90 Dent 72 67 75 Mature 59 62 62 Harvested 53 57 42 Cotton Squaring 98 96 97 Setting Bolls 78 69 78 Bolls Opening 14 18 16 Peanuts Pegging 98 99 94 Rice Headed 95 98 98 Harvested 51 51 47 Sorghum Headed 85 76 83 Coloring 67 65 64 Mature 62 59 56 Harvested 58 56 50 Soybeans Blooming 95 99 60 Setting Pods 91 93 40 Dropping Leaves 16 46 10 Sunflowers Planted 86 96 99 Harvested 1 – – ====================================================== Crop Condition Table - August 16, 2009 -------------------------------------------------------------------------- Percent Index 1/ Crop ------------------------------------------ ----------- Excellent Good Fair Poor Very Poor 2009 2008 -------------------------------------------------------------------------- Corn 6 31 24 14 25 54 57 Cotton 11 32 31 13 13 63 60 Peanuts 17 58 25 0 0 86 78 Rice 10 30 39 9 12 64 85 Sorghum 3 20 38 16 23 49 64 Soybeans 4 25 40 23 8 – 53 Range & Pasture 3 19 25 19 34 – – -------------------------------------------------------------------------- 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 - August 16, 2009 ---------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------- Percent of Acreage by District * 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 ---------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------- Very Short 6 5 10 11 24 28 1 61 22 35 85 96 63 87 65 Short 36 38 56 32 37 48 20 19 36 34 14 4 21 11 35 Adequate 55 53 32 51 39 24 76 18 42 31 1 0 12 2 0 Surplus 3 4 2 6 0 0 3 2 0 0 0 0 4 0 0 ---------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------- * 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: 96; South Texas: 10-N; Lower Valley: 10-S. ==================================================================================================== Weather Information Table 1/ ----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------- Previous National Previous Week Month-to-Date Year-to-Date Annual Three Months Weather Service Accumulation Accumulation Accumulation Normal Percent of Normal Climatic Divisions 2/ (Aug 10 - 16) (Aug 1 - 161) (Jan 1 - Aug 16) (1971 - 2000) (May - July) ----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------- High Plains 0.68 0.96 10.88 19.64 94 Low Rolling Plains 0.41 0.48 12.74 24.51 97 North Central Texas 0.13 0.60 17.10 35.23 76 East Texas 0.23 0.78 22.33 48.08 70 Trans-Pecos 0.22 0.56 6.20 13.19 103 Edwards Plateau 0.20 0.53 10.37 24.73 60 South Central Texas 0.29 0.30 7.04 36.21 23 Upper Coast 0.57 0.67 14.74 50.31 31 South Texas 0.04 0.04 3.84 24.08 32 Lower Valley 0.00 0.00 3.78 25.43 41 ----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------- 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 weather information, please visit the following web sites: www.srh.noaa.gov/rfcshare/precip_analysis_new.php and www.drought.unl.edu/dm/monitor.html ===========================================================================================================