Hot, Dry Weather Stresses Crops
Published: Friday, September 20, 2019
The following is from the Indiana Field Office of USDA's National Agricultural Statistics Service for the week ending Sept. 15.
Late planted Indiana corn and soybeans continued to suffer due to lack of adequate rainfall last week. Below average precipitation, coupled with warm, and in some cases hot, weather negatively affected grain and pod fill in late planted corn and soybeans.
On early to mid-season planted corn and soybeans, the heat was welcomed as additional growing degree days were needed to hasten maturity.
The average temperature for the week was 74.6 degrees Fahrenheit, 6.7 degrees above normal. The amount of rainfall varied from none to 1.79 inches over the week.
The statewide average precipitation was .24 inches, though there were large areas of the State that saw no rainfall. Most areas in central and southern Indiana had no measurable rainfall last week.
There were 6.3 days suitable for fieldwork.
Corn and soybean conditions slid last week. Seed corn and silage harvest continued. A few farmers began to shell some of their earliest planted corn, though combines were very few and far between.
Commercial tomato harvest continued. Apple harvest began.
Other activities for the week included readying equipment for harvest and planting hay and cover crops.
Topsoil moisture was rated very short, 10 percent; short, 36 percent; adequate, 53 percent; surplus, 1 percent.
Subsoil moisture was rated very short, 10 percent; short, 37 percent; adequate, 51 percent; surplus, 2 percent.
The crop progress schedule (last week, previous week, 2018 and 5-year average) showed: corn, dough 90, 82, 100, 98; corn, dented 59, 43, 93, 86; corn, mature 16, 8, 58, 42; corn, harvested for grain 1, NA, 6, 4; soybeans, setting pods 91, 84, 100, 100; soybeans, dropping leaves 5, NA, 60, 44; alfalfa hay, third cutting 84, 73, 94, 93; alfalfa hay, fourth cutting 27, 16, 46, 41; other hay, third cutting 66, 51, 84, 78; other hay, fourth cutting 3, NA, 18, NA.
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