Crop Progress and Condition for the Week Ending September 20, 2015.
Comments from Cooperative Extension Service County Agents
Don Respess, Coahoma & Quitman Counties
“Great week of harvest and fall tillage work. We should pick some cotton this week. Lots of harvest aid materials going out on cotton. We will dig more peanuts and harvest some also.”
Dr. Bill Burdine, Pontotoc County
“Soybean disease severity increasing rapidly in most fields. Rain is needed to finish late soybeans, hay, and pastures. Growers are seeing effects of sorghum midge and sugarcane aphids on yields. Dry soils making nematode hot spots easy to see.”
Jon Carson, Issaquena & Sharkey Counties
“Nearly all the soybean crop has been harvested and the cotton harvest is beginning. Producers are reporting a wide variety of yields for all crops ranging from below satisfactory to slightly above average. Fall field preparations are being executed behind harvest machinery.”
James “Randall” Nevins, Monroe County
“The crop conditions are as expected for this dry time of the year. We have not had much rain in the last few weeks. Within the county, the corn is being harvested and the soybeans are dropping leaves, peanuts have been dug and turned over. Soybeans and peanuts will be harvested soon. Our livestock is as expected for this time of the year. The pastures are also dry. Cattle producers are looking at seeding ryegrass for fall and early winter grazing.”
Lamar Adams, Pike County
“Very dry weather conditions continue to hinder growth of summer forages, delay planting of cool season forages, and negatively impact performance of all classes of livestock. Dairy farmers are seeing milk production levels drop considerably due to prolonged hot and dry weather conditions resulting in heat stress on cattle and forages. We need several days of nice, slow rainfall to replenish soil moisture so livestock producers can get cool season annual grasses and legumes planted for late fall and winter grazing.”
General Comments
According to the National Agricultural Statistics Service in Mississippi, there were 6.7 days suitable for fieldwork for the week ending Sunday, September 20, 2015. Topsoil moisture supplies were 30 percent very short, 44 percent short, 24 percent adequate, and 2 percent surplus. Subsoil moisture supplies were 26 percent very short, 44 percent short, 27 percent adequate, and 3 percent surplus.
Low temperatures ranged from 51.7 degrees Fahrenheit at Winona to 67.9 degrees Fahrenheit at Biloxi. Highs ranged from 81.0 degrees Fahrenheit at Tupelo to 91.5 degrees Fahrenheit at Rolling Fork. Most of the state received no rain with the lower delta part of the state receiving the most at an average of 0.24 inches.
