Crops Advance Toward Maturity
Published: Friday, August 14, 2020
The following is from the Indiana Field Office of USDA's National Agricultural Statistics Service for the week ending Aug. 9.
The temperatures were cooler than normal last week, with variable rain showers early in the week. While the cool temperatures slowed the depletion of soil moisture, some areas were in the need of more rain by week's end.
Overall, topsoil and subsoil moisture levels decreased slightly from the previous week.
The average temperature for the week was 68.2 degrees Fahrenheit, 4.7 degrees below normal.
The amount of rainfall varied from none to 2.61 inches over the week. The statewide average precipitation was .33 inches.
There were 5.8 days suitable for fieldwork.
Rainfall during the early part of the week allowed crops to continue to advance towards maturity.
Corn and soybean crop development remained ahead of the five-year average, while crop conditions remaining mostly stable.
Dryer conditions during the latter part of the week allowed second cutting of hay to proceed.
Livestock were reportedly in good condition and benefitting from good pasture growth and the spring-like conditions early in the week.
Other activities for the week included mowing roadsides, spraying fungicides, harvesting vegetables and attending extension webinars.
Topsoil moisture was rated very short, 3 percent; short, 17 percent; adequate, 74 percent; surplus, 6 percent.
Subsoil moisture was rated very short, 3 percent; short, 21 percent; adequate, 71 percent; surplus, 5 percent.
The crop progress schedule (last week, previous week, 2019 and 5-year average) showed: corn silking, 97, 93, 74, 92; corn dough, 56, 37, 25, 49; corn dented, 4, NA, 1, 9; soybeans blooming, 93, 87, 65, 86; soybeans setting pods, 70, 54, 30, 65; alfalfa hay, second cutting, 95, 92, 86, 94; alfalfa hay, third cutting, 42, 24, 17, 33; other hay, second cutting, 84, 73, 75, 86; other hay, third cutting, 25, 9, 10, 21.
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