in-crop-weather State Indiana Crop Weather Week Ending Date April 7, 2002 Issue IN-CW1402 Agricultural Summary THIS REPORT IS THE FIRST CROP WEATHER REPORT FOR THE 2002 GROWING SEASON. A SERIES OF WEEKLY CROP PROGRESS REPORTS WILL BE PUBLISHED EACH MONDAY AT 3:00 P.M. EST THROUGHOUT THE CROP SEASON. These reports will cover planting and harvesting activities, crop development, weather data and timely crop management information provided by Purdue University experts. For the earliest possible access, look for these reports on the Internet shortly after the 3:00 P.M. release time. Our Home Page address is listed at the bottom of this publication. Follow the links to view text and PDF files. Field Crops Report Field activities were virtually at a standstill last week. There was 0.9 days suitable for fieldwork. Rain in most areas along with snow in some regions of the state kept farmers out of the fields. Soil conditions were too wet in most regions of the state to support heavy equipment, although fertilizer and lime were spread on some fields and pastures. Farmers were able to accomplish tillage activities last fall in many fields after the early harvest. Some farmers applied fertilizer, lime and top dressed winter wheat earlier this year when soil conditions were drier. Major activities during the week were preparing equipment, purchasing supplies, moving grain to market, hauling manure, ditching, cleaning fence rows and taking care of livestock. Seven percent of the winter wheat acreage is jointed compared with 14 percent last year and 18 percent for 5-year average. Winter wheat condition is rated 57 percent good to excellent compared with 69 percent a year ago at this time. Livestock, Pasture and Range Report Pasture condition is rated 5 percent excellent, 46 percent good, 37 percent fair, 11 percent poor and 1 percent very poor. Pasture and forage growth has been slow thus far this season. Hay supplies are rated 1 percent very short, 7 percent short, 80 percent adequate and 12 percent surplus. Livestock have been under some stress from the cool, wet weather. Calving and lambing are active. Crop Progress Table -------------------------------------------------------- : This : Last : Last : 5-Year Crop : Week : Week : Year : Avg -------------------------------------------------------- Percent Winter Wheat Jointed 7 NA 14 18 Crop Condition Table -------------------------------------------------------- : Very : : : : Excel- Crop : Poor : Poor : Fair : Good : lent -------------------------------------------------------- Percent Pasture 1 11 37 46 5 Winter Wheat 2002 1 8 34 49 8 Winter Wheat 2001 1 5 25 56 13 Soil Moisture & Days Suitable For Fieldwork Table ------------------------------------------------------- : This : Last : Last : Week : Week : Year ------------------------------------------------------- Percent Topsoil Very Short 0 NA 6 Short 1 NA 22 Adequate 38 NA 66 Surplus 61 NA 6 Subsoil Very Short 0 NA 7 Short 4 NA 23 Adequate 60 NA 66 Surplus 36 NA 4 Days Suitable 0.9 NA 5.7 Contact information --Ralph W. Gann, 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 Wheat fields may show a yellow mosaic as spring regrowth starts As wheat begins to grow, we may see widespread yellowing that looks like nutrient deficiency. It is possible that these symptoms will be the result of infection by either to of two soilborne viruses of wheat are widespread in Indiana soils, rather than to a deficiency of nitrogen. These viruses are Wheat spindle streak mosaic virus (WSSMV) and Soilborne wheat mosaic virus (SBWMV). Both viruses persist in a common soilborne fungus, Polymyxa graminis. Spores of this fungus infect wheat roots and in so doing transmit the virus to the wheat plant. Cool, wet soils favor infection. Much of the state experienced those conditions last fall, so there is a good chance that these diseases will appear this spring. Weather conditions in the spring are also critical for symptom expression. These diseases are often most conspicuous when a period of unusually warm weather early in the spring is followed by a return to cooler weather. At that time, symptoms can suddenly appear in many wheat fields. The symptom to look for is a pale green to yellow mosaic on young leaves. SBWMV, as its name implies, causes a mosaic narrow, pale green to yellow, wavy-margined streaks on the leaf blade. Symptoms of WSSMV infection are similar, but the streaks tend to taper at both ends, hence the name "spindle." From a distance, fields or parts of fields have a pale green or yellow appearance, as though they are deficient in nitrogen. In practice, it is very difficult to distinguish these two diseases based on symptoms. Both viruses may be found in the same field, and both viruses may infect the same plant. Wheat spindle streak is reported to be more uniformly distributed throughout fields than is soilborne wheat mosaic virus. Most varieties of soft red winter wheat grown in Indiana have some degree of resistance to these viruses. They may show some yellowing during periods of fluctuating temperatures during the spring, but once the cold weather is past, these varieties tend to outgrow the symptoms on lower leaves and there is probably little damage. A few varieties are more susceptible. The intensity of yellowing is greater, and is accompanied by stunting, reduced tillering, and death of some plants in the field. These varieties will suffer economic damage from these diseases. There is no remedial action that can be taken at this stage. If a variety develops severe symptoms, don't plant it again next year. There are plenty of varieties with good resistance. Gregory Shaner, Dept. of Botany & Plant Pathology, Purdue University. Weather Information Table Week Ending Sunday April 7, 2002 --------------------------------------------------------------- | Past Week Weather Summary Data |--------------------------------- Station | Air | | Avg | Temperature | Precip. |4 in. |---------------|-----------|Soil |Hi |Lo |Avg|DFN|Total |Days|Temp --------------------------------------------------------------- Northwest (1) | Valparaiso_AP_I |54 22 37 -9 0.94 4 Wanatah |54 21 36 -8 1.01 4 43 Wheatfield |56 22 37 -8 1.16 3 Winamac |57 22 37 -9 0.66 5 42 North Central(2)| Chalmers_5W |61 23 38 -10 0.14 5 Plymouth |55 23 37 -10 1.35 5 South_Bend |53 20 36 -9 0.65 5 Young_America |64 25 39 -7 0.38 3 Northeast (3) | Columbia_City |55 23 37 -8 0.56 3 40 Fort_Wayne |61 25 39 -6 0.42 3 West Central (4)| Greencastle |66 21 39 -10 0.36 1 Perrysville |64 25 40 -8 0.01 1 43 Terre_Haute_AFB |66 24 43 -7 0.15 1 W_Lafayette_6NW |60 23 39 -8 0.34 3 43 Central (5) | Brookville |73 27 42 -6 0.39 2 Eagle_Creek_AP |67 26 42 -8 0.63 2 Greenfield |65 25 39 -8 0.46 4 Indianapolis_AP |69 26 42 -7 0.27 1 Indianapolis_SE |67 25 40 -9 0.41 1 Tipton_Ag |65 25 39 -6 0.56 4 41 East Central (6)| Farmland |69 21 39 -6 0.98 3 42 New_Castle |67 21 37 -9 0.78 1 Southwest (7) | Evansville |77 26 46 -8 0.19 1 Freelandville |68 27 43 -8 0.38 1 Shoals |73 25 43 -8 0.28 1 Stendal |75 28 44 -8 0.15 1 Vincennes_5NE |70 24 43 -7 0.20 1 43 South Central(8)| Spencer_Ag |67 23 41 -7 0.20 1 Tell_City |80 32 49 -3 0.21 1 Southeast (9) | Milan_5NE |71 26 40 -8 0.25 2 Scottsburg |73 28 43 -9 0.17 1 ------------------------------------------------------------- Weather Information Table Week ending Sunday April 7, 2002 | Accumulation | April 1, 2002 thru Station | April 7, 2002 | Precipitation |GDD Base 50oF | | | | | |Total | DFN |Days|Total| DFN ------------------------------------------------------------- Northwest (1) | Valparaiso_AP_I | 0.94 +0.06 4 0 -7 Wanatah | 1.01 +0.17 4 0 -7 Wheatfield | 1.16 +0.32 3 0 -7 Winamac | 0.66 -0.16 5 0 -7 North Central(2)| Chalmers_5W | 0.14 -0.64 5 0 -14 Plymouth | 1.35 +0.49 5 0 -9 South_Bend | 0.65 -0.25 5 0 -7 Young_America | 0.38 -0.39 3 0 -7 Northeast (3) | Columbia_City | 0.56 -0.28 3 0 -5 Fort_Wayne | 0.42 -0.35 3 0 -7 West Central (4)| Greencastle | 0.36 -0.48 1 0 -16 Perrysville | 0.01 -0.87 1 0 -13 Terre_Haute_AFB | 0.15 -0.70 1 6 -11 W_Lafayette_6NW | 0.34 -0.46 3 0 -7 Central (5) | Brookville | 0.39 -0.51 2 4 -6 Eagle_Creek_AP | 0.63 -0.24 2 1 -13 Greenfield | 0.46 -0.44 4 0 -10 Indianapolis_AP | 0.27 -0.60 1 3 -11 Indianapolis_SE | 0.41 -0.42 1 1 -13 Tipton_Ag | 0.56 -0.32 4 0 -7 East Central (6)| Farmland | 0.98 +0.17 3 1 -6 New_Castle | 0.78 -0.12 1 0 -7 Southwest (7) | Evansville | 0.19 -0.77 1 15 -17 Freelandville | 0.38 -0.51 1 2 -19 Shoals | 0.28 -0.70 1 4 -17 Stendal | 0.15 -0.90 1 5 -20 Vincennes_5NE | 0.20 -0.69 1 3 -18 South Central(8)| Spencer_Ag | 0.20 -0.72 1 1 -13 Tell_City | 0.21 -0.92 1 18 -10 Southeast (9) | Milan_5NE | 0.25 -0.65 2 2 -8 Scottsburg | 0.17 -0.82 1 4 -17 ---------------------------------------------------------------------------------- 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 2002: 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 Henschel 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 Henschel Blvd, Suite B105, West Lafayette IN 47906-4145. Source: Indiana Agricultural Statistics Service