Texas Crop Weather Issue: TX-CW3909 Released: September 28, 2009 For the week of: September 21 - 27, 2009 Cooperating Agencies: Texas AgriLife Extension Service, Texas Department of Agriculture, National Weather Service Agricultural Summary: The southern part of the state received up to 6 inches of rainfall while the eastern and northern part of the state observed up to 2 inches of moisture. The rest of the state received moderate amounts of moisture. Winter wheat planting continued and sorghum harvest was active in the Northern High Plains. In the Northern Low Plains, cotton continued to open and recent rainfall improved wheat growing conditions. Wheat planting progressed well in the Southern Low Plains due to adequate moisture. In the Trans-Pecos, pecans continued to mature and recent hail damaged cotton. Cotton harvest continued in southern areas of the state. Cool and damp conditions continued to delay corn harvest in the High Plains. Supplemental feeding of livestock continued in localized areas of the state, however, supplementation declined due to improved pasture conditions. Range and pastures progressed well due to the recent rainfall across most of the state, however, the southern part of the state continued to be in need of moisture. Top soil moisture was mostly short to adequate across the state. Field Crops Report Small Grains: Winter wheat planting continued in the Northern High Plains. Recent rainfall improved wheat growing conditions in the Northern Low Plains and Cross Timbers. Wheat planting progressed well in the Southern Low Plains due to adequate moisture. Recent moisture in South Central Texas improved wheat and oat planting conditions. Cotton: In the Northern High Plains, cotton continued to be in need of heat units and dry weather. Producers sprayed defoliant on cotton to help open bolls in the Southern High Plains. Cotton continued to open in the Northern Low Plains. Recent hail damaged cotton in parts of the Trans-Pecos. Cotton harvest continued in southern areas of the state. Cotton ginning continued in South Texas. Cotton condition was mostly fair to good statewide. Corn: Cool and damp conditions continued to delay corn harvest in the High Plains. Corn condition was mostly fair to good statewide. Sorghum: Sorghum harvest was active in the Northern Plains. Wild hogs caused damage to sorghum in the Northern Low Plains. Recent rainfall delayed sorghum harvest in the Blacklands. Sorghum condition was mostly very poor to fair statewide. Peanuts: Producers began to dig peanuts in parts of the Southern High Plains. Peanuts progressed well in the Southern Low Plains as producers prepared for harvest. Peanut condition was mostly fair to good statewide. Rice: Rice condition was mostly fair to good statewide. Soybeans: Soybean condition was mostly poor to fair statewide. Fruit, Vegetable and Specialty Crop Report Sunflower harvest was active in the Southern High Plains. Sunflower harvest was delayed in the Coastal Bend due to the recent rainfall. In South Central Texas, sweet potato harvest was delayed due to the recent rainfall. Recently planted cabbage progressed well due to the recent rainfall in South Texas. Pecans: In the Trans-Pecos, pecans continued to mature and shuck and nut separation was near. Livestock, Range and Pasture Report Supplemental feeding of livestock continued in localized areas of the state, however, supplementation declined due to improved pasture conditions. Stock tank levels in some areas of the state continued to be replenished due to the recent rainfall. Weaning and selling of livestock continued in localized parts of the state. In areas of the state where rainfall was received, producers were waiting for hay fields to dry out before the final cutting. Army worms and feral hogs caused damage to hay meadows in East Texas. Range and pastures progressed well due to the recent rainfall across most of the state, however, the southern part of the state continued to be in need of moisture. Range and pasture condition was mostly fair to good statewide. Crop Progress Table - September 27, 2009 --------------------------------------------------------- Percent Crop Stage --------------------------- 2009 2008 Avg 2004-2008 --------------------------------------------------------- Corn Dent 100 98 100 Mature 79 76 92 Harvested 70 66 74 Cotton Setting Bolls 98 100 100 Bolls Opening 52 39 54 Harvested 16 18 20 Peanuts Harvested 31 8 6 Rice Harvested 92 98 98 Sorghum Headed 99 99 99 Coloring 86 81 88 Mature 68 70 75 Harvested 66 69 68 Soybeans Dropping Leaves 76 90 52 Harvested 60 75 71 Sunflowers Planted 100 100 100 Harvested 18 38 40 Winter Wheat Planted 40 39 45 Emerged 13 13 15 Oats Planted 43 27 31 ========================================================= Crop Condition Table - September 27, 2009 -------------------------------------------------------------------------- Percent Index 1/ Crop ------------------------------------------ ----------- Excellent Good Fair Poor Very Poor 2009 2008 -------------------------------------------------------------------------- Corn 6 31 24 14 25 54 59 Cotton 9 31 29 16 15 60 67 Peanuts 17 61 22 0 0 87 81 Rice 10 30 39 9 12 64 80 Sorghum 3 20 38 16 23 49 67 Soybeans 3 21 47 26 3 57 57 Range & Pasture 6 27 35 18 14 - - -------------------------------------------------------------------------- 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 - September 27, 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 1 15 4 9 3 0 0 8 17 19 25 26 14 4 2 Short 60 58 25 39 6 9 8 31 50 24 34 25 32 9 7 Adequate 38 25 67 51 88 68 67 48 33 55 38 46 50 85 56 Surplus 1 2 4 1 3 23 25 13 0 2 3 3 4 2 35 ---------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------- * 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/ (Sep 21-27) (Sep 1 - 27) (Jan 1 - Sep 27) (1971 - 2000) (Jul - Aug) ------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------- High Plains 0.31 1.19 12.96 19.64 104 Low Rolling Plains 0.27 2.74 15.97 24.51 97 North Central Texas 0.78 5.41 23.07 35.23 79 East Texas 0.84 4.86 28.56 48.08 73 Trans-Pecos 0.08 0.94 7.51 13.19 84 Edwards Plateau 0.97 3.16 13.67 24.73 54 South Central Texas 1.08 4.62 12.07 36.21 18 Upper Coast 1.35 4.33 20.48 50.31 39 South Texas 0.84 4.00 8.23 24.08 13 Lower Valley 3.06 5.77 10.33 25.43 29 ------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------- 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 =============================================================================================================