Texas Crop Weather Issue: TX-CW4109 Released: October 13, 2009 For the week of: October 5 - 11, 2009 Cooperating Agencies: Texas AgriLife Extension Service, Texas Department of Agriculture, National Weather Service Agricultural Summary: Scattered showers were observed across much of the state. The northeast part of the state received the most rain with up to 2 to 6 inches in isolated areas. Winter wheat planting continued producers sprayed defoliant on cotton, and corn and soybean harvest was active in the Northern High Plains. Recent rainfall and cooler temperatures improved wheat conditions in the Northern Plains. Army worms caused wheat to suffer in the Blacklands. Wheat and oats were emerging in South Texas. High winds and large hail damaged cotton in parts of the Southern High Plains. In the Trans-Pecos, Pawnee pecan cultivar harvest was active and the Western pecan was in the final stage of maturity. Soybeans continued to progress well in the Upper Coast while pods were filling. Supplemental feeding of livestock took place in localized areas of the state. Range and pastures continued to improve due to the recent rainfall across most of the state. Top soil moisture was mostly adequate to surplus across the state. Field Crops Report Small Grains: Winter wheat planting continued in the Northern High Plains and more moisture was needed for seed germination. Recent rainfall and cooler temperatures improved wheat conditions in the Northern Plains. Army worms caused wheat to suffer in the Blacklands. Wheat and oats was emerging in South Texas. Cotton: Cotton maturity slowed in the Plains due to wet and cool conditions. In the Northern High Plains, producers sprayed defoliant on cotton. Recent high winds and large hail damaged cotton in parts of the Southern High Plains. Cotton harvest was active in the Trans-Pecos. Cotton condition was mostly fair to good statewide. Corn: Corn harvest continued in the Northern High Plains as producers worked around wet conditions. Corn condition was mostly fair to good statewide. Sorghum: Producers were chopping sorghum silage in the Northern High Plains. Sorghum harvest was active in the Edwards Plateau. Sorghum condition was mostly very poor to fair statewide. Peanuts: Producers were digging peanuts in areas of the Plains. Producers were preparing to harvest peanuts in South Texas. Peanut condition was mostly fair to good statewide. Rice: Rice condition was mostly fair to good statewide. Soybeans: Soybean harvest was active in the Northern High Plains. Soybeans continued to progress well in the Upper Coast as pods were filling. Soybean condition was mostly poor to fair statewide. Fruit, Vegetable and Specialty Crop Report Sunflower harvest was active in the Southern High Plains and the Coastal Bend. Spinach planting was active and cabbage made good progress in response to cooler temperatures and adequate moisture in South Texas. Pecans: In the Trans-Pecos, Pawnee pecan cultivar harvest was active and the Western pecan was in the final stage of maturity. Livestock, Range and Pasture Report Supplemental feeding of livestock took place in localized areas of the state but continued to decline due to improved pasture conditions in the southern part of the state. Stock tank levels in some areas of the state continued to be replenished; however, more rainfall was needed to return tanks to adequate levels. Some hay was still being cut and baled in localized areas of the state. Army worms continued to cause damage to hay meadows and pastures across most of the state. Range and pastures continued to improve due to the recent rainfall across most of the state. Range and pasture condition was mostly fair to good statewide. Crop Progress Table - October 11, 2009 --------------------------------------------------------- Percent Crop Stage --------------------------- 2009 2008 Avg 2004-2008 --------------------------------------------------------- Corn Mature 97 92 98 Harvested 82 75 85 Cotton Setting Bolls 100 100 100 Bolls Opening 74 69 73 Harvested 18 20 23 Peanuts Harvested 33 23 21 Rice Harvested 100 100 100 Sorghum Coloring 88 89 95 Mature 70 76 82 Harvested 68 71 72 Soybeans Dropping Leaves 87 97 96 Harvested 73 87 82 Sunflowers Harvested 20 51 57 Winter Wheat Planted 64 68 66 Emerged 39 43 39 Oats Planted 64 55 55 Emerged 14 9 11 ========================================================= Crop Condition Table - October 11, 2009 -------------------------------------------------------------------------- Percent Index 1/ Crop ------------------------------------------ ----------- Excellent Good Fair Poor Very Poor 2009 2008 -------------------------------------------------------------------------- Corn 6 31 24 14 25 54 59 Cotton 10 31 27 16 16 60 63 Peanuts 11 66 23 0 0 85 80 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 8 30 36 16 10 - - -------------------------------------------------------------------------- 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 - October 11, 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 4 14 5 17 2 0 0 0 23 18 17 16 2 3 3 Short 67 50 32 28 2 0 2 10 50 21 20 28 23 5 5 Adequate 29 33 60 49 70 44 37 68 27 54 55 56 25 91 90 Surplus 0 3 3 6 26 56 61 22 0 7 8 0 50 1 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: 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/ (Oct 5 - 11) (Oct 1 - 11) (Jan 1 - Oct 11) (1971 - 2000) (Jul - Sep) ------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------- High Plains 0.32 0.36 13.32 19.64 88 Low Rolling Plains 1.19 1.41 17.38 24.51 96 North Central Texas 2.14 3.30 26.41 35.23 132 East Texas 2.15 4.10 34.70 48.08 140 Trans-Pecos 0.16 0.35 7.96 13.19 57 Edwards Plateau 0.77 1.18 15.03 24.73 80 South Central Texas 0.97 2.77 15.13 36.21 69 Upper Coast 1.28 3.86 24.83 50.31 67 South Texas 0.33 0.57 9.08 24.08 70 Lower Valley 0.41 0.63 11.09 25.43 77 ------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------- 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 =============================================================================================================