Corn crop conditions rate high; rainfall needed in much of the state

Clear skies and sunshine boosted row crop development this past week, according to USDA’s National Agricultural Statistics Service.

This corn field near Sumner is almost completely canopied. 

Much of the state saw little or no rainfall with topsoil moisture supplies declining as seasonally hot temperatures returned later in the week. Spring-planted, dryland crops in much of the western two-thirds of the state were showing signs of stress.

Statewide, producers had 6.8 days suitable for fieldwork. Topsoil moisture supplies rated 14 percent very short, 39 short, 46 adequate, and 1 surplus, well above previous year. Statewide, subsoil moisture supplies rated 25 percent very short, 35 short, 40 adequate, and 0 surplus.

We laid out pipe this past week for irrigation, but also
received 0.3 inches of rain Sunday evening.

All corn conditions rated 1 percent very poor, 4 poor, 19 fair, 56 good, 20 excellent. Irrigated corn conditions rated 83 percent good or excellent, compared to 77 average. Dryland corn conditions rated 66 percent good or excellent, compared to 71 average. Corn silking was 1 percent complete, behind 46 last year and 16 average.

All crop progress photos can be viewed at Pinterest or Flickr.