in-crop-weather State Indiana Crop Weather Week Ending Date May 13, 2007 Issue IN-CW192007 Agricultural Summary Farmers made tremendous progress planting both corn and soybeans as most of the state received very little precipitation during the week, according to the Indiana Field Office of USDA's National Agricultural Statistics Service. Topsoil is getting dry in some areas, and farmers are hoping for moisture to help with germination and emergence of corn and soybeans. Planting progress for both corn and soybeans moved ahead of both last year and the 5-year average pace. Field Crops Report There were 5.9 days suitable for field work. Seventy-eight percent of the intended corn acreage has been planted compared with 71 percent last year and 63 percent for the 5-year average. By area, 80 percent has been planted in the north, 84 percent the central region, and 63 percent in the south. Thirty-four percent of the corn acreage has emerged compared with 35 percent last year and 36 percent for the 5-year average. Thirty-nine percent of the intended soybean acreage has been planted compared with 30 percent last year and 33 percent for the 5-year average. Ninety-four percent of the winter wheat acreage is jointed compared with 95 percent for last year and 97 percent for the 5-year average. Winter wheat condition is rated 37 percent good to excellent compared to 83 percent last year at this time. Major activities during the week included: repairing equipment, soil preparation, spraying herbicides, applying fertilizer, hauling manure and taking care of livestock. Livestock, Pasture and Range Report Pasture condition is rated 9% excellent, 51% good, 35% fair, 5% poor, and 0% very poor. Pastures and hay crops have mostly recovered from the frost damage that occurred in April. Livestock remain in mostly good condition. Crop Progress Table ------------------------------------------------------- : This : Last : Last : 5-Year Crop : Week : Week : Year : Avg ------------------------------------------------------- Percent Corn Planted 78 42 71 63 Corn Emerged 34 8 35 36 Soybeans Planted 39 10 30 33 Soybeans Emerged 5 NA 5 9 Winter Wheat Jointed 94 79 95 97 Winter Wheat Headed 31 10 43 42 Crop Condition Table ----------------------------------------------------------- : Very : : : : Excel- Crop : Poor : Poor : Fair : Good : lent ----------------------------------------------------------- Percent Pasture 0 5 35 51 9 Winter Wheat 2007 7 17 39 34 3 Winter Wheat 2006 0 2 15 60 23 Soil Moisture & Days Suitable for Fieldwork Table ---------------------------------------- : This : Last : Last : : Week : Week : Year : ---------------------------------------- Percent Topsoil Very Short 1 0 0 Short 12 1 0 Adequate 76 72 41 Surplus 11 27 59 Subsoil Very Short 0 0 0 Short 3 0 2 Adequate 84 79 64 Surplus 13 21 34 Days Suitable 5.9 4.2 2.7 Contact information --Greg Preston, Director --Andy Higgins, Agricultural Statistician E-Mail Address: nass-in@nass.usda.gov http://www.nass.usda.gov/Statistics_by_State/Indiana --------------------------------------------------------------------- Other Agricultural Comments And News REQUIREMENTS FOR UNIFORM GERMINATION AND EMERGENCE OF CORN Rapid, uniform germination and emergence of corn help set the stage for maximum grain yield at the end of the season. Without such a successful start to the season, the crop is behind the proverbial "eight-ball" right from the beginning. The good news is that there are only four simple requirements for uniform germination and emergence of corn. The bad news is that one or more of the requirements are sometimes absent in one field or another. ADEQUATE AND UNIFORM SOIL MOISTURE AT THE SEED ZONE. Adequate soil moisture is most simply defined as not too dry and not too wet. Most growers know what "adequate" looks and feels like. Uneven soil moisture in the seed zone can be caused by variable soil characteristics, tillage patterns, unusual weather conditions and uneven seeding depth. Uneven soil moisture throughout the seed zone is the primary cause of uneven emergence, the results of which can easily be yield losses of 8 to 10 percent. Remember that uneven seedbed soil moisture can be described as "adequate' versus "too wet" as well as "adequate" versus "too dry." USEFUL TIP: When seedbed conditions are dry, make sure that your choice of seeding depth ensures uniformly adequate soil moisture for the germination of the seed. Even though a 1.5 to 2 inch seeding depth is a good choice for many conditions, don't hesitate to increase seeding depth to 2.5 to 3 inches if that is the depth where the uniform soil moisture is located. Planting shallower than 1.5 inches increases the risk of poor or uneven germination during subsequent drying of surface soils. ADEQUATE AND UNIFORM SOIL TEMPERATURE AT THE SEED ZONE. Corn will germinate and emerge slowly and unevenly when soil temperatures are less than 50øF. When soils warm to the mid-50's or warmer, emergence will occur in seven days or less if soil moisture is adequate. Thermal time from planting to emergence is approximately 120 growing degree days (GDDs) using the modified growing degree formula (Nielsen, 2007b) and air temperatures or about 130 GDDs if using soil temperatures. Uneven soil temperature in the seed zone can be caused by variable soil texture, soil color, soil drainage, surface residue cover in reduced tillage systems and seeding depth control. Temperature variability during germination and emergence is most critical when average soil temperatures are hovering about the critical 50øF minimum threshold value. USEFUL TIPS: Dark-colored soils will typically warm more quickly than light-colored soils. If soils dry differently across the field, the drier areas will typically warm faster than the wet areas. Uneven residue cover (surface trash) in reduced tillage systems causes significantly lower soil temperatures under the heavier cover than under barer spots in the field. Uneven seeding depth exposes deeper planted seeds to slightly cooler seed zones than seeds placed shallower. Consider row-cleaning attachments for the planter to move aside the surface trash during planting and expose the seedbed to sunlight and its warming effects. Consider strip tillage practices in the future to better manage surface trash in a reduced tillage system. ADEQUATE AND UNIFORM SEED-TO-SOIL CONTACT. In order for the kernel to absorb moisture quickly and uniformly, soil must be firmed completely around the kernel. Seed-to-trash contact results from "hair-pinning" of surface trash into the seed furrow during no-till planting when soil and/or trash are too wet for adequate coulter cutting action. Seed-to-clod contact results from planting into cloddy fields created by working soil too wet. Seed-to-rock contact is, needless to say, not good for proper germination either. Seed-to-air contact results from open planter furrows when no-till planting into excessively wet soils. Germination of kernels lying in open planter furrows is dependent on rainfall keeping the open furrow environment moist. USEFUL TIPS: Whippers, wipers, movers, fingers, and other similar trash management gadgets for the planter are most beneficial when you are challenged with rocky, cloddy, or trashy surface soil conditions. They help clear the way (literally) for the planter's double-disc openers to more easily do their job of creating an optimum seed furrow. Other planter attachments that help press the kernels into the seed furrow can improve seed-to-soil contact and seeding depth uniformity when seedbed conditions are otherwise challenging. SURFACE SOIL FREE FROM CRUST. Severe surface crusting or compaction will restrict emergence of the coleoptile and cause underground leafing or plant death. Severe sidewall compaction can also limit elongation of the mesocotyl and emergence of the coleoptile. USEFUL TIP: Avoid excessive tillage prior to planting the crop, especially if significant rainfall is forecast prior to emergence of the crop. Avoid excessive downpressure on the closing wheels of the planter. Avoid planting "on the wet side" that often results in smeared sidewalls. RELATED REFERENCES Carter, Paul, Emerson Nafziger, and Joe Lauer. North Central Regional Extension Pub. No. 344. [On-Line]. Available at (URL verified 4/23/07). Jasa, Paul. 2007. Avoiding Sidewall Compaction at Planting Don't Plant Too Shallow. CropWatch Newsletter, Univ. of Nebraska. [On-Line]. Available at . (URL verified 4/23/07). Nielsen, RL (Bob). 2007a. Germination Events in Corn. Corny News Network, Purdue Univ. [On-Line]. Available at . (URL verified 4/23/07). Nielsen, RL (Bob). 2007b. Heat Unit Concepts Related to Corn Development. Corny News Network, Purdue Univ. [On-Line]. Available at . (URL verified 4/23/07) Nielsen, RL (Bob). 2007c. The Emergence Process in Corn. Corny News Network, Purdue Univ. [On-Line]. Available at . (URL verified 4/23/07). R.L. (Bob) Nielsen, Department of Agronomy, Purdue University. --------------------------------------------------------------------- The INDIANA CROP & WEATHER REPORT (USPS 675-770), (ISSN 0442-817X) is issued weekly April through November by the USDA, NASS, Indiana Field Office, 1435 Win Hentschel Blvd, Suite 110, 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 USDA, NASS, Indiana Field Office, 1435 Win Hentschel Blvd, Suite 110, West Lafayette IN 47906-4145. --------------------------------------------------------------------------------- Weather Information Table Week ending Sunday May 13, 2007 ----------------------------------------------------- | Past Week Weather Summary Data |--------------------------------- Station | Air | | Avg | Temperature | Precip. |4 in. |---------------|------------|Soil |Hi |Lo |Avg|DFN| Total|Days |Temp ----------------------------------------------------- Northwest (1) Chalmers_5W 90 40 66 +7 0.00 0 Francesville 86 39 64 +6 0.07 1 Valparaiso_AP_I 82 40 64 +7 0.07 1 Wanatah 84 40 63 +8 0.11 1 66 Winamac 85 42 64 +7 0.72 2 64 North Central(2) Plymouth 84 42 64 +6 0.00 0 South_Bend 84 42 65 +8 0.00 0 Young_America 86 41 67 +9 0.13 1 Northeast (3) Columbia_City 86 38 63 +7 0.24 2 58 Fort_Wayne 87 35 64 +7 0.12 2 West Central(4) Greencastle 84 42 65 +5 0.17 1 Perrysville 90 42 68 +9 0.16 1 72 Spencer_Ag 86 43 66 +8 0.23 1 Terre_Haute_AFB 85 42 68 +8 0.37 2 W_Lafayette_6NW 88 40 66 +9 0.00 0 72 Central (5) Eagle_Creek_AP 86 47 68 +8 0.45 1 Greenfield 85 45 67 +7 0.54 1 Indianapolis_AP 86 48 69 +9 0.33 2 Indianapolis_SE 86 44 66 +6 0.72 1 Tipton_Ag 87 41 65 +8 0.68 2 67 East Central(6) Farmland 85 40 64 +8 0.14 1 64 New_Castle 84 43 65 +8 0.31 1 Southwest (7) Evansville 88 51 72 +10 1.25 3 Freelandville 85 48 69 +8 0.26 2 Shoals 88 44 68 +8 0.40 3 Stendal 89 52 73 +11 0.29 1 Vincennes_5NE 88 49 70 +10 0.34 2 70 South Central(8) Leavenworth 85 49 69 +9 0.28 3 Oolitic 85 45 67 +8 0.01 1 67 Tell_City 87 57 72 +10 1.40 1 Southeast (9) Brookville 89 46 68 +9 0.00 0 Greensburg 85 45 69 +10 0.00 0 Scottsburg 89 47 70 +9 0.16 2 ---------------------------------------------------- Weather Information Table (Continued) Week ending Sunday May 13, 2007 ------------------------------------------------ Accumulation -------------------------------- April 1, 2007 thru Station May 13, 2007 -------------------------------- Precipitation |GDD Base 50oF -------------------------------- | | | | Total | DFN |Days|Total| DFN ------------------------------------------------- Northwest (1) | Chalmers_5W | 4.25 -1.07 11 310 +69 Francesville | 4.34 -0.80 13 285 +85 Valparaiso_AP_I | 3.11 -2.47 9 285 +99 Wanatah | 5.40 +0.03 12 252 +98 Winamac | 4.98 -0.16 13 285 +85 North Central(2)| Plymouth | 5.27 -0.19 14 257 +43 South_Bend | 4.61 -0.55 12 298 +127 Young_America | 3.63 -1.40 10 324 +130 Northeast (3) | Columbia_City | 3.94 -1.13 13 255 +102 Fort_Wayne | 3.82 -0.99 17 299 +116 West Central(4) | Greencastle | 4.67 -1.01 13 341 +71 Perrysville | 3.71 -1.85 13 404 +175 Spencer_Ag | 5.47 -0.56 14 355 +120 Terre_Haute_AFB | 4.94 -0.87 14 415 +147 W_Lafayette_6NW | 4.26 -1.14 12 338 +138 Central (5) | Eagle_Creek_AP | 4.69 -0.70 14 417 +160 Greenfield | 5.80 -0.10 19 358 +135 Indianapolis_AP | 4.17 -1.22 16 417 +160 Indianapolis_SE | 6.18 +0.52 16 355 +114 Tipton_Ag | 4.21 -1.35 14 309 +136 East Central(6) | Farmland | 4.85 -0.28 14 283 +117 New_Castle | 5.78 -0.19 12 322 +151 Southwest (7) | Evansville | 6.14 +0.10 16 519 +144 Freelandville | 4.14 -1.84 14 445 +155 Shoals | 6.12 -0.17 16 415 +132 Stendal | 5.67 -0.95 15 539 +212 Vincennes_5NE | 4.39 -1.59 15 468 +178 South Central(8)| Leavenworth | 6.68 +0.05 17 463 +174 Oolitic | 5.61 -0.40 14 384 +134 Tell_City | 6.91 +0.02 14 513 +171 Southeast (9) | Brookville | 3.81 -1.99 13 409 +203 Greensburg | 5.00 -1.11 15 417 +179 Scottsburg | 7.64 +1.55 16 441 +147 ------------------------------------------------------------------ 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 2007: Agricultural Weather Information Service, 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