Despite a rain delay throughout the province, seeding progress has greatly advanced over the past week, according to the latest crop report from the Saskatchewan Ministry of Agriculture. Seeding is now 94 per cent complete, up from 77 per cent last week. This is behind the five-year and ten-year average.
The southeast and southwest are the furthest advanced, sitting at 96 per cent complete. This is compared to 84 per cent last week and is the same as the five- to ten-year average.
Field peas, lentils, spring wheat, and durum seeding is almost complete, while mustard, triticale, and perennial forage are the furthest behind in seeding progress.
The ever-changing weather also had an impact on progress, with a few areas reporting heavy rainfall. In some cases, this caused crops to drown in lower areas within the field.
“Producers within the region are reporting some minor crop damage due to excessive moisture, frost, and hail, along with increased crop damage due to wind,” said crops extension specialist Megan Rosso.
Other crop damage reported was from flea beetle and cutworm pressure. Producers continue to monitor grasshopper and gopher populations across the province.
Topsoil moisture continued to increase this week. Cropland topsoil moisture is rated as four per cent surplus, 91 per cent adequate, and four per cent short. Hayland topsoil moisture is reported at two per cent surplus, 88 per cent adequate, and nine per cent short. Pasture topsoil moisture is three per cent surplus, 87 per cent adequate, and ten per cent short.
Warmer weather is needed by producers to assist crop development. “Varying stages of development are reported within the region, given the cooler temperatures and delays in seeding progress that producers have experienced,” said Rosso.
Forty-eight per cent of winter cereals are in the tillering stage, 25 per cent at stem elongation, 20 per cent at flag leaf, and seven per cent heading.
Twenty-six per cent of spring cereals are at the pre-emergent stage, 57 per cent at the seedling stage and 17 per cent tillering.
Eighteen per cent of pulse crops are at the pre-emergent stage, with 68 per cent at the seedling stage and 14 per cent reported at the vegetative stage of development.
Forty-three per cent of canola and mustard are at the pre-emergent stage, with 54 per cent at the seedling stage and three per cent at the rosette stage.
Forty-seven per cent of flax is at the pre-emergent stage, 51 per cent at the seedling stage, and two per cent starting stem elongation.
As seeding ends, producers will work on spraying when the weather permits, along with rock picking, land rolling, and moving cattle out to pasture.