The Manitoba Crop Report for July 17, 2017
Southwest Region
Normal to above normal temperatures were experienced during most of the week. Rainfall was spotty with isolated showers. Most areas received less than 10 mm of rain, while Melita and Pierson received 25 to 35 mm, respectively. Moisture conditions are variable and most of the northern parts of the region could use moisture.
Winter wheat and fall rye are filling and starting to turn. Fusarium head blight levels are very low in winter wheat. Spring cereal crops are progressing well the majority are past anthesis.
Peas are flowering and early seeded peas are at the mid pod formation stage. Aphids are detectible but are still under the threshold level.
Canola is in the 80% bloom stage. Later seeded canola is bolting or in early flower. Producers are applying fungicides for sclerotinia in fields which are at high risk. Canola is starting to show effects of the heat with some flowers aborting and some early seeded fields starting to go out of bloom.
Soybeans are at late R1 to early R2 stage and are benefitting from the higher temperatures. There are some reports of enough geese damage in soybeans to do a claim for wildlife damage compensation. Thistle caterpillars have created patches in soybean, canola and sunflower crops but damage is minimal.
Corn and sunflowers are developing well with the warm weather. There are some insect pests in sunflowers including lygus bug, sunflower beetle, thistle caterpillar, sunflower maggot adult flies, but levels are low.
Flax is in mid bloom with no major issues.
Berta armyworm counts are getting higher in some areas but still significantly lower than threshold level.
Producers continue to hay with most hay being put up in good quality. Newer stands of hay are yielding about average with older stands below average. Rainfall is needed for the second cut to get established. Pastures are in need of rain. Early grazed or overgrazed pastures are close to being done and some producers are starting to move cattle around to other pastures or fall pastures. Dugouts are about 60% full.
Northwest Region
High temperatures and windy conditions with rain were experienced in many areas this week. Rainfall amounts varied throughout the region with 25 to 35 mm across the Swan Valley, 13 mm in The Pas, upwards of 65 mm in parts of the Dauphin area, and only trace amounts in the Roblin area. Soil moisture conditions are very diverse within the region. Roblin is dry, in parts of the Dauphin area as well as The Pas, soil moisture conditions remain excessive, while in the remainder of the region, soil moisture is are adequate.
The high temperatures visibly advanced plant growth this week where soil moisture conditions were suitable. Approximately 50% of the spring wheat crop is in the heading/flowering stage. Canola is in the flowering stage with some early seeded fields starting to pod. Approximately 50% of flax fields are flowering. Peas are flowering and beginning to pod. Soybeans and lentils are beginning to flower. Winter cereals are ripening. In The Pas, herbicide and tillage operations are underway on weedy fields. Fungicide applications continue in the region as crops reach appropriate staging and where risk exists.
On the west side of the region, good weather conditions allowed producers to continue with haying operations. Sporadic rain from Dauphin to McCreary delayed haying in some localized areas. First cut yields have been 1.4 to 2 tonne/acre with less on older stands. Pastures around the Roblin and Grandview areas require rain for continued production. Wet conditions are still present in areas surrounding The Pas and McCreary although pastures in The Pas are starting to recover.
Central Region
Warmer temperatures have advanced crops and improved growth. Most of the region received trace amounts to 10 mm of rain; with a few locations in the east receiving 15 to 22 mm. Although a few areas have good to excess moisture, much of the region would benefit from timely rains to aid in pod and head fill.
Fall rye is drying down; harvest will start in the next two weeks. Winter wheat fields are in the soft to hard dough stage with straw drying down. Most spring wheat, barley and oat fields are flowering; some are into the milk stage. The latest seeded fields are just heading and beginning to flower. The majority of fungicide applications are complete. Minor lodging was evident with localized heavy rains and wind, but fields have recovered. There is little to no evidence of fusarium head blight symptoms in winter wheat or earlier seeded spring wheat.
Canola fields range from flowering to podding, with flowering on the decline in the earliest seeded fields. Mid to late planted canola is suffering from heat and lack of moisture; some heat blasting is evident. Crops continue to be staged for sclerotinia fungicide timing; applications continue where disease risk exists.
Bertha armyworm monitoring continues; numbers are starting to decline and remain relatively low for most of the region.
Colour and growth in corn has improved with the warmer temperatures. Most fields range from V8 to V12, and tasseling is just starting. Some fields continue to struggle due to the earlier cold and dry conditions. Some corn varieties had issues with lodging and some green snap on Tuesday night/Wednesday morning with the high winds and quick rain in the Glenboro and Treherne areas.
Flax and pea fields are starting to come out of flower. Edible bean fields are flowering and fungicide applications will start this week on earlier types where risk of disease exists.
Soybeans are flowering; earliest seeded fields are in the R2 to R3 stage. Most crop has grown through iron deficiency chlorosis symptoms. Root rots are being reported in soybeans, especially in fields with tighter rotations. Septoria brown spot is being found on lower leaves. Soybean aphids have been found, but numbers are low, and control measures are not warranted at this time. Predator insects that aid in keeping soybean aphid levels in check are present at good levels.
Sunflowers are at R1 to R2 with the most advanced at R3. Some basal stalk rot is starting to show up.
Thistle caterpillar concerns in soybean and sunflower have alleviated as caterpillars have pupated; the damaging stage is over.
Good haying progress has been made in the last couple of weeks due to the hot and windy weather. Pasture and hay growth improved with the heat. Areas that have received adequate rainfall in the western and northwestern parts of the region report excellent regrowth, but some areas are quite dry. Yields are average to below average. Stand height is shorter than normal. Second cut dairy quality hay has begun in areas with early first cuts, and will continue over the next two to three weeks. Second cut beef quality hay in some western and southwestern areas is non existent; a consequence of poor regrowth due to lack of rainfall. Harvested quality is good due to the prevailing drier conditions but the feed quality is only fair due to delayed cutting to gain on yield.
Livestock water supply is adequate.
Eastern Region
Significant precipitation events as rain and thunderstorms occurred throughout the region during Monday and Tuesday of last week. The average rainfall amounts ranged from about 18 to 25 mm to in excess of 75 mm in some areas. During the rainfall, day and night time temperatures moved well below seasonal normals with strong winds. The remainder of the week was warm, sunny and humid although there were intermittent and isolated rain events and thunderstorms/showers. Areas with higher rainfall amounts had water ponding in fields and this still persists in some areas. Soil moisture conditions on cropland across the region and were rated as 90% adequate and 10% surplus. Soil moisture conditions of hay and pasture land were rated at 90% adequate to 10% short.
In-crop herbicide and fungicide applications are almost finished. Very little insecticide application has occurred as insect populations have been low.
Spring wheat is finishing flowering and moving into the milk/soft dough stage. FHB fungicide applications are complete with the exception of later sown fields. Corn is in the V7 to V9 stage with a few fields showing early tassel development. Canola, especially early seeded canola, is getting to the end of flowering and moving into early pod fill. Low levels of diamondback larvae have been detected on many fields but no reports of spraying have been received so far. Soybeans are at R2 to early R3. Alleviation of iron deficiency chlorisis symptoms continued on many fields but particularly hard hit areas in some fields are not going to recover and contain dead plants. Foliar and stem disease levels remain low but there have been a few fields where root rots have caused moderate to, in a few cases, severe stand loss. Soybean aphids have been detected in the area but levels remain well below threshold. Sunflowers are at early bud, R2 and R3. Low disease and insect pest levels so far.
Haying continues and producers have put up about half to three quarters of the feed requirements. Livestock have plenty of grass with the timely rains in the past week. Flies and horse flies are bothering livestock. Dairy producers started 2nd cut alfalfa with average yields. First cut yield estimates are 1.5 tonnes/acre for alfalfa, 2 tonnes/acre for grass/alfalfa mixes, 1.75 tonnes/acre for tame hay, and 1 tonne/acre for wild hay. The progress of first cut hay is estimated at 20% standing, 5% cut and 75% baled /silaged. Second cut hay is estimated at 1.5 tonnes/acre. Hay fields and pasture are in 80% good to 20% fair condition. Availability of livestock water was rated as adequate.
Interlake Region
Much needed rains throughout the region along with warm temperatures have hastened crop development. Rainfall amounts in the region varied from 21 to 56 mm with temperatures in the high twenties.
Spring cereals are mostly headed out with fungicide applications completed. Disease pressure is relatively low in cereals and insect damage is minimal. Fall rye and winter wheat are starting to ripen.
Lygus bugs have been found in some fababean and alfalfa crops at low concentrations.
Soybeans are mostly grown out of iron deficiency chlorosis and are beginning to flower. Peas are flowering and some are being sprayed for control of pea aphids.
Corn is growing rapidly with warm temperatures; some producers are doing foliar fertilizer applications.
Second growth of alfalfa is good and has been minimally affected by alfalfa weevil larvae damage. Native and grass hay yields continue to increase. Grasshopper damage so far has been minimal.
Pastures are supplying adequate feed for the time of year, if properly managed. Forage fields have adequate levels of soil moisture. There is adequate water for livestock consumption.
