Oklahoma crop weather, 04/29/2013, v.36 no.11

              United States Department of Agriculture
National Agricultural Statistics Service
Oklahoma Crop Weather
Oklahoma Field Office
Cooperating with the Oklahoma Department of Agriculture, Food and Forestry
P.O. Box 528804 · Oklahoma City, OK 73152-8804
(405) 522-6190 · FAX (405) 528-2296 · www.nass.usda.gov/ok
A combined contribution with Cooperative Extension Service, USDA Farm Service Agency and Oklahoma Mesonet
-over-
USDA is an equal opportunity provider and employer. Information provided by respondents on NASS surveys, will remain completely confidential, as required by
Federal law. NASS safeguards the confidentiality of all responses, ensuring that no individual producer or operation can be identified.
Volume 36, Number 11
Weekly Summary for Apr 22-Apr 28
Issued April 29, 2013
Record Breaking Cold
Temperatures were cooler than normal for most of the week, and another widespread freeze occurred overnight into Wednesday. Temperature records were broken in multiple locations for April 24th. According to Oklahoma Mesonet, the 15 degree low at Boise City broke the record for the lowest temperature ever recorded this late in spring. Small grain development continued to be significantly behind normal. The April 23rd Drought Monitor showed continued improvements from recent rainfall. Just under 11 percent of the state had no drought designation, and 72 percent was in a moderate to exceptional drought (D1-D4), compared to 100 percent the last week in March. The Panhandle and southwestern Oklahoma continue to be the hardest hit areas, and once again missed out on significant rain from the past week’s storms. Topsoil moisture conditions continued to be rated mostly adequate. Subsoil moisture conditions improved slightly, and one third was rated as adequate. There were 5.1 days suitable for fieldwork.
Small Grains: Heading of wheat, rye and oats made significant progress over the past week, but was well behind the five-year average. Condition ratings for wheat declined slightly, and were rated mostly fair to poor. Wheat jointing was 92 percent complete by Sunday. Twenty-one percent of the crop was headed by the end of the week, 44 points behind normal. Rye jointing was virtually complete, and 57 percent had headed by week’s end, 29 points below the five-year average. Oats jointing was 63 percent complete, and 13 percent had headed by Sunday.
Canola was rated mostly good to fair with 42 percent rated poor to very poor. Canola blooming was 90 percent complete by the end of the week, compared to 100 percent at this time last year.
Row Crops: Fieldwork and planting were behind normal for all row crops. Corn seedbed preparation was 88 percent complete by the end of the week. Corn planting was 34 percent complete by Sunday, and 17 percent had emerged, 12 points behind normal. Sorghum seedbed preparation was 55 percent complete, and a small portion of sorghum had been planted by the end of the week. Soybean seedbed preparation was 39 percent complete, 14 points behind the five-year average. Peanut seedbed preparation was 62 percent complete, and cotton seedbed preparation was 76 percent complete.
Watermelon planting was 34 percent complete by the end of the week, 22 points behind the previous year, but four points ahead of the five-year average.
Hay: A first cutting of alfalfa hay was five percent complete by the end of the week, 23 points behind the five year average.
Pasture and Livestock: Conditions of pasture and range improved slightly, but were rated mostly fair to poor. Below normal temperatures continued, limiting the growth of spring forage. Livestock conditions continued to be rated mostly good to fair. Soil Moisture Conditions by Percent Week Ending Sunday, April 28, 2013 Moisture Rating Current Week Previous Week One Year Ago
Topsoil
Very Short 17 14 5
Short
18
20
17 Adequate 62 60 66
Surplus
3
6
12 Subsoil
Very Short
33
32
10 Short 34 39 27
Adequate
33
28
62 Surplus 0 1 1 Conditions by Percent For Week Ending Sunday, April 28, 2013 Commodity Very Poor Poor Fair Good Excellent
Wheat
16
25
36
21
2 Rye 19 15 45 16 5
Oats
6
13
31
45
5 Canola 21 21 31 24 3
Livestock
3
11
43
38
5 Pasture and Range 17 28 38 16 1