Mississippi Weekly Crop Weather Released: Tuesday, 3PM May 30, 2006 Week Ending May 28, 2006 This report is best viewed with a monospace font. Issue MS-CW2206 Agricultural Summary According to the National Agricultural Statistics Service in Mississippi, there were 6.4 days suitable for fieldwork for the week ending Sunday, May 28, 2006. With little rainfall in the past couple of weeks, farm operators continued with fieldwork activities. Significant rainfall is needed soon to help with the quality of emerging crops. Weed control is being sprayed on crops and warm-season hay is being fertilized. Soil moisture was rated 12 percent very short, 42 percent short, 45 percent adequate and 1 percent surplus. Item Event This Last 2005 5-Yr Very Week Week Avg Poor Poor Fair Good Excellent Corn Silked 10 -- -- -- 0 0 13 56 31 Cotton Planted 98 87 97 95 1 9 22 59 9 Emerged 90 74 90 88 Peanuts Planted 86 77 -- -- 0 0 12 42 46 Rice Planted 99 97 99 98 1 3 19 74 3 Emerged 97 95 98 95 Sorghum Planted 100 99 100 98 0 1 5 94 0 Emerged 99 98 100 95 Soybeans Planted 98 96 97 92 0 4 16 67 13 Emerged 96 92 92 86 Blooming 15 -- 9 6 Wheat Mature 75 32 55 55 0 2 24 57 17 Harvested 12 -- -- -- Hay Harvested (Cool) 83 67 82 83 (Warm) 8 -- 15 15 0 5 14 57 24 Sweetpotatoes Planted 8 2 7 15 -- -- -- -- -- Watermelons Planted 98 92 100 97 0 0 1 79 20 Blueberries 0 0 13 74 13 Cattle 1 5 26 54 14 Pasture 0 7 35 35 23 Other Agricultural Comments and News County Agent Comments "Dry weather conditions have arrived. Most areas need a good rain. Early weed controls seem to be working well on row crops and pastures." -- Ed Williams, Oktibbeha "A small amount of needed rain was received this weekend. Producers have been busy spraying pastures and finishing up baling ryegrass hay. The quality of a lot of this hay is not very good. Hopefully the warm season hay quality will be better." -- Shelby Bearden, Copiah "Most of the county has been very dry, with no rain for 21 days, but a good rain event has replenished most of the county." -- Mark Gillie, Greene "Poultry growers are having to monitor houses closely with the 90+ degree temperatures. Soil moisture is getting short. Corn is twisting, pastures are short and summer hay grasses are not growing. Rain is needed soon!" -- Chuck Grantham, Jones "Blueberries, corn and watermelons could use some rain. Southern high-bush and early varieties of rabbit-eye blueberries are being harvested. Harvesting of cool season hay is near completion. Warm season forages are receiving an application of nitrogen. We received less than a tenth of an inch of rain fall in the county this week." -- Allen McReynolds, Wayne "Light showers over the weekend helped all crops. Crops look much better after warmer weather. We had to replant many acres of rice." -- Don Respess, Bolivar "Feast to famine. The rain stopped and we will be finished with planting in about 4-5 days. Moisture is getting short and we will need a rain by the middle of the week." -- Mack Young, Quitman "Insect pressure is low to moderate in cotton now since crops have started growing and thrip treatments have been made. A warm shower would really kick-start the stressed crops that are starting to show signs of recovery." -- Jimbo Burkhalter, Tallahatchie "The latter part of May is completely opposite of the first two weeks of May. We went from having way too much rainfall to desperately needing a rain." -- Anthony Bland, Tunica "We had a good week to get soybeans and cotton planted. Most areas of the county need a good rain." -- Melvin Oatis, Benton "We have replanted about 50-60% of our cotton crop. Sore shin has really hurt us this year. The cotton is coming up in most places but we have run out of moisture in areas. We need a good slow 1 inch of rain." -- Stephen R. Winters, Grenada "Dry weather has helped planting. The cool temperatures last week have slowed germination of the planted cotton. Some areas are needing moisture while others are just getting dry enough to plant. Winter hay yields look good. Insect pressure is picking up on younger crops and homeowner gardens." -- Tim Needham, Tippah "This was a busy week on the farm. Most cotton and soybean producers were busy applying glyphosate to control weeds in their cotton and soybeans. Many acres of cotton received a sidedress application of nitrogen. Most corn producers turned on their irrigation systems." -- Jerry Singleton, Leflore "Drier weather has created a lot of irrigation on small soybeans and cotton. Soil moisture is being taken out by hot days and winds during the day. A good soaking rain would help all crops at this time. Some insects are being treated in cotton and soybeans." -- Tommy Baird, Sunflower "We will need rain this next week to avoid yield losses due to moisture stress. Some late-planted or replanted fields of cotton will need water to complete emergence." -- Ernest Flint, Attala "Some cattlemen fertilized ryegrass and got a good second cutting of hay. Summer pastures finally started growing after the temperatures were hot enough. Now, some of the grass is starting to slow down growth because it is getting too dry. Pasture and hayfield spraying continues, but the pace has slowed down." -- Houston Therrell, Rankin "Cotton is looking better this week but we still have problems in some areas with poor root quality. Corn is starting to show signs of the high temperatures and lack of water. Peanuts look good at this point and soybeans have made a big jump in growth this week. Crawfish are still a problem in Noxubee County cotton and soybean crops." -- Dr. Dennis B. Reginelli, Noxubee "Rains this Monday saved us for awhile; it had been 29 days since any appreciable rain. Pastures were really getting short. We were about to get in trouble. Some corn has been stunted by dry weather." -- Lee Taylor, Forrest "Field operations resumed this week as the skies cleared. Hot temperatures and dry winds have left some areas of the county needing a little rain. Some corn is still yellow from standing in water but it should outgrow the condition. More winter hay is being harvested and summer hay ground is being fertilized and sprayed for weeds." -- Victor Lee, Newton "Producers have completed the cutting of cool season hay and fertilizing pastures to get the maximum growth and quality. The watermelon crop is looking good but will have a smaller harvest due to the lack of rainfall. Early corn is beginning to silk." -- Florieda K. Mason, Perry Weather Information Table Weather Summary from May 22, 2006 to May 28, 2006 for Mississippi Air Precipitation 4 Inch Soil Avg Temperature Weekly Rn Four Temperature Pan Max Min Avg Nrm DFN Total DFN Ds Weeks Max Min Avg Evap --------------------------------------------------------------------------- 1. Upper Delta Cleveland 94 60 80 74 +6 0.00 -1.14 0 5.51 Lambert 94 62 80 0.00 -1.33 0 4.43 Tunica 93 68 82 73 +9 0.00 -1.26 0 5.88 --------------------------------------------------------------------------- Extreme/Average 94 60 81 74 +7 0.00 -1.19 0 5.16 2. North-Central Calhoun City 89 58 76 72 +4 0.00 -1.19 0 4.29 Hickory Flat 90 58 75 70 +5 0.00 -1.23 0 4.01 Independence 89 60 77 71 +6 0.00 -1.25 0 4.22 Oxford 91 60 78 71 +7 0.00 -1.26 0 3.83 --------------------------------------------------------------------------- Extreme/Average 91 58 77 72 +5 0.00 -1.21 0 4.22 3. Northeast Booneville 98 60 80 71 +9 0.00 -1.38 0 3.17 Iuka 89 56 73 68 +5 0.02 -1.31 1 3.22 Ripley 90 60 76 70 +6 0.00 -1.19 0 3.98 Tupelo 92 64 79 0.00 0 4.51 Verona 96 62 79 72 +7 0.00 -1.09 0 5.48 --------------------------------------------------------------------------- Extreme/Average 98 56 77 72 +5 0.00 -1.30 0 4.07 4. Lower Delta Moorhead 92 66 81 75 +6 0.00 -1.12 0 2.84 Rolling Fork 96 67 82 74 +8 0.00 -1.13 0 1.37 Stoneville 94 67 81 75 +6 0.00 -1.12 0 2.28 Yazoo City 75 0.00 -1.17 0 1.97 --------------------------------------------------------------------------- Extreme/Average 96 66 81 75 +6 0.00 -1.20 0 2.11 5. Central Canton 92 60 77 74 +3 0.01 -1.16 1 2.19 Carthage 92 59 75 73 +2 0.00 -1.11 0 4.24 Eupora 92 57 76 72 +4 0.00 -1.12 0 2.95 Lexington 92 54 77 72 +5 0.00 -1.12 0 2.41 --------------------------------------------------------------------------- Extreme/Average 92 54 77 73 +4 0.00 -1.09 0 2.68 6. East-Central Aberdeen 93 61 78 72 +6 0.00 -1.19 0 2.82 Houston 90 55 75 71 +4 0.00 -1.26 0 3.50 Philadelphia 95 64 79 73 +6 0.00 -1.10 0 5.77 State University 91 57 77 73 +4 0.00 -1.04 0 2.78 --------------------------------------------------------------------------- Extreme/Average 95 55 78 73 +5 0.00 -1.11 0 2.80 7. Southwest Crystal Springs 93 67 80 75 +5 1.15 +0.04 1 4.46 Natchez 93 64 79 75 +4 0.00 -1.19 0 1.36 Oakley 94 55 76 74 +2 0.00 -1.05 0 3.83 Vicksburg 90 67 80 0.00 0 5.37 --------------------------------------------------------------------------- Extreme/Average 94 55 78 75 +3 0.29 -0.90 0 3.73 8. South-Central Collins 93 51 76 73 +3 0.00 -1.23 0 3.05 Columbia 92 64 80 75 +5 0.02 -1.19 1 1.52 Tylertown 94 63 79 75 +4 0.00 -1.25 0 1.00 --------------------------------------------------------------------------- Extreme/Average 94 51 78 75 +3 0.01 -1.20 1 2.29 9. Southeast Beaumont Hattiesburg 93 65 79 75 +4 0.00 -1.13 0 1.17 Laurel 93 62 78 74 +4 0.00 -1.11 0 5.86 Newton 94 59 78 73 +5 0.00 -0.84 0 6.83 --------------------------------------------------------------------------- Extreme/Average 94 59 78 74 +4 0.00 -1.04 0 5.86 10. Coastal Gulfport 87 65 78 77 +1 0.00 -1.26 0 0.30 Pascagoula 3 NE 74 1.88 Picayune 76 0.00 -1.12 0 0.30 --------------------------------------------------------------------------- Extreme/Average 87 65 76 State Averages 98 51 78 74 +4 0.04 -1.11 0 3.65 DFN = Departure from Normal.