Recent rains have helped to improve topsoil moisture, crop development, and hay and pasture conditions across the Prairies, while some regions are still looking for some moisture.
In Manitoba, soil moisture levels are variable with the majority of the province showing optimal to wet conditions to the 30 cm depth.
Pulse and soybean specialist Dennis Lange says a major storm moved through the southwest that brought heavy rain, wind, and hail.
He notes farmers have been assessing their crops to determine if there's going to be any re-seeding.
"Cereals are looking pretty good for the most part in those regions, but things like the dry beans, soybeans, and peas, they'll have to have another look at."
Lange says crops like canola, soybean, and sunflowers appear to be severely affected.
Some areas of the Central, Interlake, and Northwest regions are showing dry conditions.
According to the weekly crop report crop development is moving along with spring cereal fields ranging anywhere from two-leaf to very early flag stage.
"Crops have shown rapid development and remain in good condition. Soybean emergence has been variable in some regions due to seed sitting in dry soil; however, most soybean stands are quite acceptable. Growers continued to monitor fields for flea beetles in canola but in some regions, the crop is advanced to the point where flea beetles are no longer a concern."
Cereals
- Corn growth stages range from V1 to V6 for the earliest seeded fields.
- Spring cereal fields range anywhere from two-leaf to very early flag stage. Crops have shown rapid
development and remain in good condition except for some later seeded fields demonstrating uneven
emergence due to topsoil dryness.
- Fall rye heads are fully emerged and flowered over the last week. Winter wheat crops range from heads
half emerged to heads fully emerged and flowering. Winter cereals remain in good to excellent condition.
Oilseeds
- Canola ranges from cotyledon to rosette stage with evidence of the start of bolt on the earliest seeded
fields. Growers continue to monitor fields for flea beetles with only a few fields receiving an insecticide
application. Some early-seeded canola has now outgrown the flea beetle threat and monitoring of flea
beetle feeding damage is being targeted to later-seeded fields.
- Sunflower growth ranges from the V2 to V6 stage with the crop demonstrating rapid growth and good to
excellent condition.
- Most flax crops are at growth stage 5 (stem extension) and the crop is expected to advance rapidly given
the growing conditions.
Pulses and Soybeans
- Good emergence is noted on most pea fields around the province with the most advanced fields in the six
to eight-node stage.
- Soybean growth stage ranges from the first to second trifoliate stage with the last of post-emergent rolling
occurring this past week. Reports of uneven emergence due to soybeans sitting in dry soil.
- Dry beans are emerging but have struggled in areas where soil moisture was lacking and seed is sitting in
dry soil. Overall, emergence across the province is acceptable. There are a few reports of producers
spraying for cutworms.
Forages
- Spotty rains across the region have led to variable moisture conditions on pasture and hayland. Most
dairy producers have completed first cut.
- A handful of beef producers have also begun haying this week as alfalfa is in full bloom and grasses are
mature. More beef producers are expected to begin cutting later this week.
- The presence of alfalfa weevil has been noted on some fields in the Central region.
- Reports on initial hay yields are highly variable and dependent on moisture conditions.
- Forages continue to advance with grasses heading out and alfalfa beginning to bloom. Cutting of hay
fields has begun around Swan River.
- Pastures would benefit from rain. Last week’s thundershowers were localized with some areas not
receiving any rain and, therefore, experiencing drier conditions.
- Hay and pasture growth has slowed and is showing signs of moisture stress. Hay yields will be variable
and down from last year.
Livestock
- Dugouts are approximately 50% full in the Eastern region and some producers have noted that flies are
more problematic than usual this year.
- Producers are concerned that some paddocks and pastures will run short of water later in the season.
- Cows are grazing with their calves in pastures.
- Water supplies are good in the Southwest region.
- Dugouts are 80-90% full in the Southwest region.