Crop Progress and Condition for the Week Ending October 5, 2014.
Corn and sorghum harvest were underway with 74 percent and 49 percent complete, respectively. Drought conditions continued to worsen over the past week. According to the most recent U.S. Drought Monitor, just over 91% of the state was in a drought compared to 82% last week. Minimal rainfall was received last week. Average precipitation ranged from 0.06 of an inch in the North Central District to 1.32 inches in the East Central District.
Small grain planting was progressing and rain was still needed for emerged stands, and to promote germination. There were also reports of armyworms in recently seeded wheat. Producers prepared for the harvest of soybeans and cotton, and hay harvest finished with good yields and quality reported. Temperatures ranged from 32 degrees at Blackwell on Saturday, October 4th to 97 degrees at Mangum on Wednesday, October 1st. Topsoil moisture conditions were rated mostly adequate to short. Subsoil moisture conditions were rated mostly short to very short. There were 6.4 days were suitable for field work.
Small Grains: Wheat seedbed preparation was 89 percent as of Sunday, with 70 percent of wheat planted and 27 percent emerged, ahead of normal. Ninety-five percent of rye seedbed preparations were complete. Rye seeding reached 78 percent complete by Sunday, up 10 points from normal. Five percent of rye had emerged compared to 39 percent on the five-year average. Oat seedbed preparation continued with 68 percent complete by week’s end, on track with five-year average.
Canola planting was 80 percent complete as of Sunday and 26 percent had emerged.
Row Crops: Corn mature reached 98 percent complete. Corn harvest reached 74 percent complete. Sorghum condition was rated 79 percent good to fair. Sorghum coloring reached 95 percent complete, 75 percent was mature and 49 percent had been harvested by the end of the week. Soybean conditions were rated 86 percent good to fair and 57 percent of the crop was dropping leaves. Nine percent of soybeans had been harvested by week’s end. Peanut condition was rated 93 percent good to fair.
Peanuts mature reached 65 percent complete and 9 percent dug by Sunday. Cotton condition was rated 80 percent good to fair. Ninety-three percent of cotton bolls were opening, 15 points ahead of normal.
Hay: Alfalfa hay and other hay conditions continued to be rated mostly good to fair. A fourth cutting of alfalfa hay reached 85 percent complete. A second cutting of other hay was 83 percent complete 11 points ahead of the five year average.
Pasture and Livestock: Conditions of pasture and range continued to be rated mostly good to fair. Runoff was still needed to fill ponds. Livestock was rated 59 percent in good condition with 28 percent rated as fair. Livestock markets were holding strong.
Weather: Temperatures ranged from 32 degrees at Blackwell on Saturday, October 4th to 97 degrees at Mangum on Wednesday, October 1st. Precipitation ranged from 0.06 of an inch in the North Central District to 1.32 inches in the East Central District. Soil temperature averages ranged from 58 degrees at Miami on Saturday, October 4th to 83 degrees at Burneyville on Wednesday, October 1st.
