Texas Crop Weather Issue: TX-CW4209 Released: October 19, 2009 For the week of: October 12 - 18, 2009 Cooperating Agencies: Texas AgriLife Extension Service, Texas Department of Agriculture, National Weather Service Agricultural Summary: Showers swept across the eastern part of the state leaving up to 2 to 6 inches of moisture in isolated areas. The rest of the state observed light to moderate amounts of rainfall. Freezing temperatures in the Northern High Plains virtually ended development of late planted cotton and sorghum. Winter wheat planting continued, producers were spraying cotton, and sunflower harvest was active in the Southern High Plains. Winter wheat in the Northern Low Plains emerged and was in need of sunshine for growth and cotton maturity was delayed due to cooler weather. Wheat planting was delayed in the Cross Timbers due to wet conditions. Wheat and oats continued to emerge in South Texas. Cotton made good progress in the Edwards Plateau. Supplemental feeding of livestock took place in localized areas of the state but continued to decline due to increased forage growth in the southern part of the state. Range and pastures continued to improve due to the recent rainfall across most of the state. Top soil moisture was mostly short to adequate across the state. Field Crops Report Small Grains: Winter wheat planting continued in the Southern High Plains. Winter wheat in the Northern Low Plains emerged and was in need of sunshine for growth. Wheat planting was delayed in the Cross Timbers due to wet conditions. Wheat and oats made good progress in the Edwards Plateau in response to increased soil moisture. Wheat and oats continued to emerge in South Texas. Wheat condition was mostly fair to good statewide. Oat condition was mostly fair to good statewide. Cotton: Freezing temperatures in the Northern High Plains caused some damage to cotton. Producers were spraying cotton in the Southern High Plains. Cotton maturity was delayed in the Northern Low Plains due to cooler weather and was in need of sunshine. Cotton made good progress in the Edwards Plateau. 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: Freezing temperatures damaged late planted sorghum in the Northern High Plains. Sorghum condition was mostly very poor to fair statewide. Peanuts: Producers were digging peanuts in areas of the Plains and South Texas. Wet conditions delayed peanut harvest in the Southern Low Plains. Peanut 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. Sesame and sunflower harvest was delayed due to wet conditions in the Coastal Bend. Spinach and onion planting was active while cabbage made good progress in South Texas. Pecans: Pecans were beginning to open in area where adequate moisture was available early in the development stage. Livestock, Range and Pasture Report Supplemental feeding of livestock took place in localized areas of the state but continued to decline due to increased forage growth 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 and feral hogs 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 18, 2009 --------------------------------------------------------- Percent Crop Stage --------------------------- 2009 2008 Avg 2004-2008 --------------------------------------------------------- Corn Mature 99 96 99 Harvested 84 77 89 Cotton Bolls Opening 81 77 80 Harvested 19 21 24 Peanuts Harvested 34 30 30 Sorghum Coloring 89 93 97 Mature 71 80 85 Harvested 69 72 73 Soybeans Dropping Leaves 92 98 99 Harvested 74 91 86 Sunflowers Harvested 21 54 63 Winter Wheat Planted 73 76 73 Emerged 50 57 49 Oats Planted 68 66 64 Emerged 24 25 20 ========================================================= Crop Condition Table - October 18, 2009 -------------------------------------------------------------------------- Percent Index 1/ Crop ------------------------------------------ ----------- Excellent Good Fair Poor Very Poor 2009 2008 -------------------------------------------------------------------------- Corn 6 31 24 14 25 54 59 Cotton 10 32 28 16 14 61 64 Peanuts 12 55 33 0 0 83 81 Sorghum 3 20 38 16 23 49 67 Soybeans 3 21 47 26 3 57 57 Wheat 3 44 37 15 1 69 72 Oats 4 47 40 7 2 73 58 Range & Pasture 7 32 35 17 9 - - -------------------------------------------------------------------------- 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 18, 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 xxx xxx xxx xxx xxx xxx xxx xxx xxx xxx xxx xxx xxx xxx xxx ---------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------- Very Short 3 15 9 4 0 0 0 1 19 16 7 22 1 3 3 Short 68 60 34 44 7 0 2 11 50 22 7 41 18 22 22 Adequate 29 23 56 50 71 47 29 61 31 59 72 37 78 75 74 Surplus 0 2 1 2 22 53 69 27 0 3 14 0 3 0 1 ---------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------- * 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 12 - 18) (Oct 1 - 18) (Jan 1 - Oct 18) (1971 - 2000) (Jul - Sep) ------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------- High Plains 0.07 0.43 13.39 19.64 88 Low Rolling Plains 0.07 1.48 17.45 24.51 96 North Central Texas 0.74 4.04 27.15 35.23 132 East Texas 1.57 5.67 36.27 48.08 140 Trans-Pecos 0.24 0.59 8.20 13.19 57 Edwards Plateau 0.27 1.45 15.30 24.73 80 South Central Texas 0.35 3.12 15.48 36.21 69 Upper Coast 0.92 4.78 25.75 50.31 67 South Texas 0.19 0.76 9.272 4.08 70 Lower Valley 0.29 0.92 11.38 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 =============================================================================================================