Another hot and dry week raised concerns for crop conditions throughout the State, according to Nathanial Warenski, state statistician, USDA NASS, Indiana Field Office. Soil moisture levels decreased from the previous week, with only 42 percent of topsoil moisture reported as adequate or surplus.
The average temperature for the week was 74.6 degrees Fahrenheit, 1.9 degrees above normal for the State. The amount of rainfall varied from 0.00 to 0.88 inches over the week. The statewide average precipitation was 0.28 inches, 0.61 inches below normal. There were 6.7 days suitable for fieldwork for the week ending Sunday.
Dry weather continued last week causing corn and soybeans to show signs of stress due to lack of moisture in some areas. Corn and soybean crop conditions both declined from the previous week. Irrigation was running where available. The dry conditions pushed winter wheat towards maturity, surpassing the five-year average, and harvest was well underway. Hay harvest pushed forward, but the dry conditions slowed growth in hay fields and pastures. The high heat indexes caused concern for livestock producers.
Other activities for the week included spraying herbicides, mowing roadsides, hauling grain, and certifying acres.
Categories: Indiana, Crops, Corn, Soybeans, Wheat, Weather