in-crop-weather State Indiana Crop Weather Week Ending Date May 18, 2003 Issue IN-CW2003 Agricultural Summary Another week of rain and wet field conditions prevented fieldwork during most of the week, according to the Indiana Agricultural Statistics Service. Thunderstorms continued in many areas during the week. Soils are saturated in many fields and weather conditions were not favorable for drying out fields during most of last week. Ponding of water exists in low lying areas of some fields, but flooding along some river bottom fields has started to subside. It will take a few days of favorable drying conditions before many farmers can return to tillage of fields and planting of corn and soybeans. Corn planting is 4 days behind average. Soybean planting is about 10 days behind the average pace. Some replanting will be necessary in drowned out areas. Field Crops Report There was 1.0 day suitable for fieldwork. Sixty-one percent of the intended corn acreage is planted compared with 13 percent last year and 70 percent for the 5-year average. By area, 72 percent of the corn acreage is planted in the north, 65 percent in the central region and 30 percent in the south. Forty-five percent of the corn acreage has emerged, compared with 7 percent last year and 46 percent for the average. Twenty-five percent of the soybean acreage is planted compared with 4 percent last year and 50 percent for the average. By area, 37 percent of the soybean acreage is planted in the north, 25 percent in the central region and 5 percent in the south. Twelve percent of the soybean acreage has emerged compared with 2 percent last year and 26 percent for the average. Virtually all of the winter wheat acreage is now jointed. Sixty-two percent of the winter wheat is headed compared with 48 percent last year and 66 percent for the average. Winter wheat condition is rated 82 percent good to excellent compared with 57 percent last year at this time. Major activities during the week were repairing equipment, moving grain to market, hauling manure and taking care of livestock. Livestock, Pasture and Range Report Pasture condition is rated 17 percent excellent, 60 percent good, 20 percent fair and 3 percent poor. Pastures and forage crops continue to improve aided by the recent showers. Livestock remain in mostly good condition. Spring calving remains active. Crop Progress Table -------------------------------------------------------- : This : Last : Last : 5-Year Crop : Week : Week : Year : Avg -------------------------------------------------------- Percent Corn Planted 61 58 13 70 Corn Emerged 45 32 7 46 Soybeans Planted 25 21 4 50 Soybeans Emerged 12 NA 2 26 Winter Wheat Headed 62 35 48 66 Tobacco Plants Set 4 2 1 10 Crop Condition Table -------------------------------------------------------- : Very : : : : Excel- Crop : Poor : Poor : Fair : Good : lent -------------------------------------------------------- Percent Pasture 0 3 20 60 17 Winter Wheat 2003 1 2 15 56 26 Winter Wheat 2002 2 8 33 47 10 Soil Moisture & Days Suitable For Fieldwork Table ------------------------------------------------------- : This : Last : Last : Week : Week : Year ------------------------------------------------------- Percent Topsoil Very Short 0 0 0 Short 0 1 0 Adequate 31 27 15 Surplus 69 72 85 Subsoil Very Short 0 0 0 Short 4 7 0 Adequate 50 56 25 Surplus 46 37 75 Days Suitable 1.0 0.6 0.4 Contact information --Greg Preston, State Statistician --Bud Bever, Agricultural Statistician E-Mail Address: nass-in@nass.usda.gov http://www.nass.usda.gov/in/index.htm Other Agricultural Comments And News EFFECTS OF FLOODING OR PONDING ON YOUNG CORN Recent intense rainfall events (technically referred to as "toad stranglers" or "goose drownders") have caused flooding of low-lying corn fields or ponding in poorly drained swales within fields. Other areas within fields, while not technically flooded or ponded, may remain saturated for lengthy periods of time. What are the prospects for recently planted or emerged corn? For corn that has been recently planted, but is not yet emerged, the obvious risk is with surface soil crusts that may develop following a severe downpour. The risk is particularly high for conventionally tilled fields. Corn emergence can be especially challenging when a dense surface crust "sets up." The resistance of a crust to coleoptile penetration often results in corkscrewed mesocotyl elongation below the surface and eventual leafing out underground if coleoptile emergence is delayed long enough. Monitor high-risk fields where corn emergence has not yet occurred and be prepared to use a rotary hoe if necessary to break up the crust and aid emergence. Don't dawdle on using the rotary hoe until the crust has baked dry into "concrete." Operate the hoe at a good speed and do not worry about the occasional corn seedling that is flipped out of the soil. A side benefit to breaking a dense soil crust is the resulting enhanced soil aeration. The "wet feet" caused by flooding or ponding creates other risks for corn that has already emerged, primarily because soil oxygen is depleted after about 48 hours of soil saturation. Without oxygen, the plants cannot perform critical life sustaining functions; e.g. nutrient and water uptake is impaired and root growth is inhibited. The growth stage of a corn crop greatly influences whether ponding or saturated soils kills, severely stunts, or mildly stunts the corn plants. Plants younger than V6 (six visible leaf collars) are susceptible to damage for two reasons. First of all,the growing point is at or below the soil surface from VE to about V6 and therefore is directly subject to the stress of oxygen- depleted conditions. In plants older than V6, the growing point may be above the water level and the likelihood for survival improves greatly. Secondly, plants younger than V6 are in the process of trying to successfully establish a vigorous root system. Stunting or death of roots by oxygen-depletion can be a major stress for a plant that is not yet fully established. Prior to leaf stage V6, corn can survive only two to four days of flooded or ponded conditions. If temperatures are warm during that time (mid-70s or higher) such young plants may not survive 24 hours. Cooler temperatures prolong survival. The likelihood of crop injury is less where the flooded or ponded conditions last less than 48 hours. To confirm plant survival, check the color of the growing point and look for new leaf growth three to five days after water drains from the field. Healthy growing points will be firm and yellowish-white, not mushy and discolored. Plants older than V6 will tolerate ponding or saturated soils longer for essentially the opposite reasons. As plants develop beyond V6, rapid stalk elongation elevates the growing point region above the soil surface and, thus, away from the direct stress of flooded soils. Secondly, an older crop's root system will simply be larger and consequently the crop can tolerate a certain amount of root death without dying or dramatic stunting. Nonetheless, extended periods of saturated soils plus warm temperatures will take their toll on the overall vigor of the crop. Some root death will occur and new root growth will be stunted until the soil dries to acceptable moisture content. As a result, plants may be subject to greater injury during a subsequently dry summer due to their restricted root systems. Concomitant (I found a new word in the dictionary!) with the direct stress of saturated soils on a corn crop, flooding and ponding can result in significant losses of soil nitrogen through the processes of denitrification and leaching of nitrate N. Significant loss of soil N will cause nitrogen deficiencies and possible additional yield loss. Brouder & Joern (1998) offer guidelines in estimating the amount of nitrogen loss due to saturated soils and making decisions on application of additional nitrogen fertilizer to fields once ponded. Lengthy periods of wet soil conditions favor the development of seedling blight diseases, especially those caused by Pythium fungi (Ortiz-Ribbing, 2001). Poorly drained areas of fields are most at risk for the development of these diseases and so are also at most risk for potential replant operations if significant stand loss occurs due to seedling blight outbreaks. Certain diseases, such as common smut and crazy top, may also become greater risks due to flooding and cool temperatures (Bissonnette, 2002). The fungus that causes crazy top depends on saturated soil conditions to infect corn seedlings. The common smut fungal organism is ubiquitous in soils and can infect young corn plants through tissue damaged by floodwaters. There is limited hybrid resistance to either of these two diseases and predicting damage is difficult until later in the growing season. Other flooding / ponding on-line references: Bissonnette, Suzanne. 2002. Odd Plant Diseases Due to Odd Season. Univ.of Illinois Pest & Crop Bulletin, 6/21/02. Online at . [URL verified 5/5/03]. Brouder, Sylvie and Brad Joern. 1998. Predicting Early Season N Loss. Purdue Univ. Online at . [URL verified 5/5/03]. Farnham, Dale. 1999. Corn survival in wet conditions. Iowa State Univ. Integrated Crop Management Newsletter, 5/24/1999. Online at . [URL verified 5/5/03]. Nafziger, Emerson. 1999. Hail and Flooding Damage in Corn. Univ. of Illinois Pest & Crop Bulletin, 6/18/99. Online at . [URL verified 5/5/03]. National Soil Survey Center.1996. Soil Quality Indicators: Soil Crusts. USDA-Natural Resources Conservation Service. Online at . [URL verified 5/5/03]. Ortiz-Ribbing, Loretta. 2001. Seedling Blights Caused by Pythium spp. Univ. of Illinois Pest & Crop Bulletin, 5/4/2001. Online at . [URL verified 5/5/03]. Thomison, Peter. 1995. Effects of Flooding and Ponding on Corn (AGF-118-95). Ohio State Univ. Online at . [URL verified 5/5/03]. Don't forget, this and other timely information about corn can be viewed at the Chat'n Chew Cafe on the World Wide Web at . For other information about corn, take a look at the Corn Growers' Guidebook on the World Wide Web at . Bob Nielsen, Department of Agronomy, Purdue University. Weather Information Table Week Ending Sunday May 18, 2003 --------------------------------------------------------------- | Past Week Weather Summary Data |--------------------------------- Station | Air | | Avg | Temperature | Precip. |4 in. |---------------|-----------|Soil |Hi |Lo |Avg|DFN|Total |Days|Temp ------------------------------------------------------------- Northwest (1) | Chalmers_5W |71 44 57 -5 0.21 1 58 Valparaiso_AP_I |72 42 56 -5 0.37 2 Wanatah |72 39 55 -4 0.48 2 58 Wheatfield |71 43 56 -4 0.57 3 Winamac |70 43 56 -5 0.56 3 57 North Central(2)| Plymouth |71 40 54 -7 0.81 3 South_Bend |71 38 54 -6 0.91 2 Young_America |71 43 58 -3 0.63 1 Northeast (3) | Columbia_City |69 41 55 -4 0.89 5 Fort_Wayne |68 38 55 -5 1.00 2 West Central (4)| Greencastle |72 46 60 -4 0.31 2 Perrysville |75 46 61 -1 0.49 2 62 Spencer_Ag |74 46 61 -2 0.75 4 Terre_Haute_AFB |75 43 62 -1 0.68 2 W_Lafayette_6NW |73 45 59 -2 0.67 3 62 Central (5) | Eagle_Creek_AP |72 48 61 -2 0.53 2 Greenfield |71 43 59 -3 0.49 3 Indianapolis_AP |73 42 61 -2 0.88 2 Indianapolis_SE |73 45 60 -3 0.85 3 Tipton_Ag |71 44 58 -3 0.79 2 63 East Central (6)| Farmland |71 43 58 -2 0.90 4 58 New_Castle |70 42 56 -4 0.28 2 Southwest (7) | Evansville |74 48 64 -2 1.46 4 Freelandville |75 50 62 -2 0.56 3 Shoals |78 46 62 +0 1.32 3 Stendal |76 49 64 -1 2.95 4 Vincennes_5NE |77 48 63 +0 1.00 4 62 South Central(8)| Leavenworth |77 49 63 +0 1.52 4 Oolitic |75 47 61 -1 0.86 4 62 Tell_City |77 51 66 +2 2.32 4 Southeast (9) | Brookville |75 43 61 +1 0.99 4 Milan_5NE |73 44 60 -1 1.00 4 Scottsburg |76 46 61 -2 1.15 5 ------------------------------------------------------------- ------------------------------------------------------------- | Accumulation | April 1, 2003 thru Station | May 18, 2003 | Precipitation |GDD Base 50oF | | | | | |Total | DFN |Days|Total| DFN ------------------------------------------------------------- Northwest (1) | Chalmers_5W | 9.02 +3.06 22 330 +27 Valparaiso_AP_I | 8.38 +2.20 18 308 +69 Wanatah | 9.09 +3.17 19 262 +60 Wheatfield | 9.02 +3.24 18 314 +94 Winamac | 6.80 +1.11 19 317 +60 North Central(2)| Plymouth | 7.49 +1.43 18 280 +8 South_Bend | 8.60 +2.94 18 310 +87 Young_America | 6.52 +0.89 20 359 +108 Northeast (3) | Columbia_City | 8.46 +2.84 24 283 +81 Fort_Wayne | 8.52 +3.16 18 303 +67 West Central (4)| Greencastle | 7.26 +0.78 22 372 +35 Perrysville | 6.97 +0.76 18 420 +130 Spencer_Ag | 8.02 +1.19 23 417 +122 Terre_Haute_AFB | 7.47 +0.91 19 448 +113 W_Lafayette_6NW | 7.96 +1.92 23 392 +135 Central (5) | Eagle_Creek_AP | 7.10 +1.06 19 436 +112 Greenfield | 8.37 +1.77 22 400 +114 Indianapolis_AP | 7.61 +1.57 19 446 +122 Indianapolis_SE | 7.56 +1.15 19 407 +101 Tipton_Ag | 10.43 +4.27 17 316 +90 East Central (6)| Farmland | 6.50 +0.77 19 348 +130 New_Castle | 5.47 -1.20 18 301 +77 Southwest (7) | Evansville | 8.93 +2.09 22 570 +117 Freelandville | 10.63 +3.80 21 478 +120 Shoals | 9.58 +2.39 19 485 +137 Stendal | 11.69 +4.22 20 533 +133 Vincennes_5NE | 9.56 +2.73 22 500 +142 South Central(8)| Leavenworth | 9.61 +2.18 24 499 +144 Oolitic | 9.11 +2.30 22 450 +138 Tell_City | 11.25 +3.57 20 621 +205 Southeast (9) | Brookville | 6.54 -0.06 19 454 +191 Milan_5NE | 8.67 +2.07 25 423 +160 Scottsburg | 11.41 +4.57 23 471 +109 ------------------------------------------------------------- DFN = Departure From Normal (Using 1961-90 Normals Period). GDD = Growing Degree Days. Precipitation (Rainfall or melted snow/ice) in inches. Precipitation Days = Days with precip of .01 inch or more. Air Temperatures in Degrees Fahrenheit. Copyright 2003: AWIS, Inc. All rights reserved. The above weather information is provided by AWIS, Inc. For detailed ag weather forecasts and data visit the AWIS home page at www.awis.com or call toll free at 1-888-798-9955. The INDIANA CROP WEATHER REPORT (USPS 675-770), (ISSN 0442-817X) is issued weekly April through November by the Indiana Agricultural Statistics Service, 1435 Win Hentschel Blvd, Suite B105, West Lafayette IN 47906-4145. Second Class postage paid at Lafayette IN. For information on subscribing, send request to above address. POSTMASTER: Send address change to the Indiana Agricultural Statistics Service, 1435 Win Hentschel Blvd, Suite B105, West Lafayette IN 47906-4145. Source: Indiana Agricultural Statistics Service