Texas Crop Weather Issue: TX-CW3409 Released: August 24, 2009 For the week of: August 17 - 23, 2009 Cooperating Agencies: Texas AgriLife Extension Service, Texas Department of Agriculture, National Weather Service Agricultural Summary: The Northern High Plains, North East Texas, and the Upper Coast observed up to 6 inches of rainfall. The rest of the state observed a trace to 2 inches of rainfall. Producers prepared for the winter wheat season in the northern part of the state. Corn, cotton, and sorghum progressed well in the Northern High Plains. Cotton was setting bolls in the Plains. Sorghum harvest was active in the Southern Low Plains. Corn harvest was in full-swing and grain sorghum was turning color in the Blacklands. Pecans neared completion of the water stage in the Trans-Pecos. Cotton harvest continued in the Coastal Bend. Bolls were opening in South Texas and progressed well under heavy irrigation. Wheat planting began in parts of the Cross Timbers. Supplemental feeding of hay to livestock continued in localized areas of the state as pasture conditions continued to decline due to lack of moisture. Range and pastures have improved in Central and Northern Texas where rainfall was received. Top soil moisture was mostly very short to short across the state. Field Crops Report Small Grains: Producers prepared for the winter wheat season in the northern part of the state. Wheat planting began in parts of the Cross Timbers. Producers were in need of moisture to begin wheat and oat planting in South Texas. Cotton: In the Northern High Plains, cotton continued to progress well; however, the crop was in need of heat units. Boll worms and stink bugs caused stress on cotton in parts of the Southern High Plains. Cotton progressed well in the Northern Low Plains and spraying was active. Cotton was setting bolls in the Plains. Cotton harvest continued in the Coastal Bend. Bolls were opening in South Texas and progressed well under heavy irrigation. Cotton condition was mostly fair to good statewide. Corn: Corn progressed well in the Northern High Plains. Corn harvest was in full-swing in the Blacklands and benefited from the warm, dry conditions. Corn condition was mostly very poor to good statewide. Sorghum: Grain sorghum progressed well due to the recent rainfall in parts of the Northern High Plains. Grain Sorghum was heading out in the Southern High Plains. Grain sorghum continued turning color in the Blacklands. Sorghum condition was mostly very poor to fair statewide. Peanuts: Peanuts progressed well due to the recent rainfall in the Northern Low Plains. In South Texas, peanuts continued to develop with irrigation. Peanut condition was mostly fair to good statewide. Rice: Rice condition was mostly fair to good statewide. Soybeans: Soybean condition was mostly poor to good statewide. Fruit, Vegetable and Specialty Crop Report Sunflowers were drying in the Northern High Plains. Chilies were in full-bloom in the Trans-Pecos. Vegetable harvest neared completion in North East Texas. Pecan: Pecan neared completion of the water stage in the Trans-Pecos. The pecan crop progressed well in the Edwards Plateau with many nut-clusters forming on trees. Livestock, Range and Pasture Report Supplemental feeding of hay to livestock continued in localized areas of the state as pasture conditions continued to decline due to lack of moisture. Stock tank levels across the state remained low. Weaning of lambs and goats continued in the Edwards Plateau. Livestock herd liquidation continued in localized parts of the state due to hay being in short supply. Hay fields were being cut and baled across the state. Range and pastures suffered in the western and southern parts of Texas due to hot, dry conditions. Range and pastures have improved in Central and Northern Texas where rainfall was received. Range and pasture condition was mostly very poor to fair statewide. Crop Progress Table - August 23, 2009 -------------------------------------------------------- Percent Crop Stage --------------------------- 2009 2008 Avg 2004-2008 -------------------------------------------------------- Corn Silked 100 99 100 Dough 97 95 95 Dent 81 80 80 Mature 69 64 66 Harvested 65 61 51 Cotton Squaring 98 98 99 Setting Bolls 85 78 86 Bolls Opening 15 19 18 Harvested 8 9 8 Peanuts Pegging 99 100 98 Rice Headed 96 99 99 Harvested 61 64 66 Sorghum Headed 90 85 87 Coloring 68 66 65 Mature 63 60 57 Harvested 60 57 52 Soybeans Blooming 100 100 60 Setting Pods 94 95 50 Dropping Leaves 44 59 17 Harvested 20 9 16 Sunflowers Planted 87 100 100 Harvested 4 0 8 ======================================================== Crop Condition Table - August 23, 2009 -------------------------------------------------------------------------- Percent Index 1/ Crop ------------------------------------------ ----------- Excellent Good Fair Poor Very Poor 2009 2008 -------------------------------------------------------------------------- Corn 6 31 24 14 25 54 83 Cotton 11 31 29 15 14 62 72 Peanuts 14 60 25 1 0 85 87 Rice 10 30 39 9 12 64 66 Sorghum 3 20 38 16 23 49 72 Soybeans 2 21 43 22 12 53 93 Range & Pasture 4 22 28 19 27 - - -------------------------------------------------------------------------- 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 23, 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 3 10 19 14 20 30 0 44 16 43 81 97 42 87 60 Short 28 50 52 44 44 33 20 32 43 45 17 3 37 11 40 Adequate 66 38 25 39 36 37 76 22 41 12 2 0 18 2 0 Surplus 3 2 4 3 0 0 4 2 0 0 0 0 3 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 17 - 23) (Aug 1 - 23) (Jan 1 - Aug 23) (1971 - 2000) (May - July) ----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------- High Plains 0.67 1.63 11.55 19.64 94 Low Rolling Plains 0.17 0.65 12.91 24.51 97 North Central Texas 0.36 0.96 17.46 35.23 76 East Texas 0.62 1.40 22.95 48.08 70 Trans-Pecos 0.07 0.63 6.27 13.19 103 Edwards Plateau 0.01 0.54 10.38 24.73 60 South Central Texas 0.11 0.41 7.15 36.21 23 Upper Coast 0.80 1.47 15.54 50.31 31 South Texas 0.01 0.05 3.85 24.08 32 Lower Valley 0.16 0.16 3.94 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 ===========================================================================================================