VO: From Texas Cooperative Extension, this is your weekly Texas Crop and Weather Report for April 11, 2007.
In the PANHANDLE, the week began with temperatures above average but ended with temperatures below freezing. The freezing temperatures are causing concern about possible damage to wheat. Evidence of wheat streak mosaic virus was found in a few fields, but overall, wheat is rated poor to excellent with most areas reporting good to excellent. Light rain and some snow fell across the area, and soil moisture is currently rated from short to surplus, with most areas reporting adequate to surplus. Range conditions are rated mostly fair to good and improving. Cattle are in fair to good condition as supplemental feeding continued.
The SOUTH PLAINS region experienced a wide range of temperatures this week. On April 2, the high was eighty-four and the low was fifty-three. By the weekend, the warm weather had been replaced with a high of thirty-one and low of twenty-six –– both record setters. Damage to landscape and fruit trees, grapevines and wheat is expected as a result of the freezing temperatures. An accurate damage assessment will require several days, agents report. Much of the area also received one to three inches of snow. Soil moisture is adequate. Pastures and ranges are in fair to good condition. The wet, freezing weather also caused stress to area livestock.
In the ROLLING PLAINS, things looked rosy for much of the week. Rain and sunshine improved pastures and winter wheat. Pastures, wheat and oats fields now look lush and green. Cotton fields are ready for planting and should have more than enough moisture. Some producers have already begun cutting wheat for hay and silage. The seed wheat fields have started to head out – and some have filled out. Stock tanks have filled up and alfalfa fields are being laid down. Producers have nearly ceased supplemental feeding of cattle. The only cloud on the horizon came from freezing and near freezing temperatures – accompanied by freezing rain – over the weekend. Only time will tell if the inclement weather did any damage to the wheat crop.
In the NORTH, part of the state, soil moisture is adequate in nearly all counties. Good rain was received early in the week with heavy storms reported in some counties, but no crop damage was reported. The rain helped fill ponds and greened-up pastures. But though the rain totaled about five inches in some areas, much of the region remains below average when it comes to annual totals. Most corn has emerged and looks good, as do spring pastures and crops. Producers are planting grain sorghum and early maturing soybeans. The winter wheat and oats are in good condition and heading. Wheat looks excellent and plant disease pressure is low to moderate. Livestock are doing well with lots of winter wheat and ryegrass to graze.
In the EAST, soil moisture is excellent, resulting in great winter pasture conditions. Warm-season grasses are actively growing, with some producers already fertilizing. In some counties, producers are buying more cattle to replace those they sold last fall because of the drought. Cattle are foraging on winter forages and clovers, which are beginning to seed. Baling of winter pastures should begin within the next couple of weeks, and some bermudagrass sprigging has begun. Hay supplies are extremely short, however, and farmers have expressed concern about the ever- increasing fertilizer prices. Peach crop heavy at this point.
In the FAR WEST, soil moisture ranged from very short to surplus, and crops and pasture conditions were reported to be across the board, from very poor to excellent condition. Winter wheat was also reported as being in very poor to good condition. Weather was mostly mild, with some areas reporting a half to two inches of rain. Fall-planted onions are growing well. Planting of watermelons is under way.
In the WEST CENTRAL region, warm temperatures continued until the weekend, when freezing temperatures accompanied by sleet and snow, paid a visit. Wheat fields continued to thrive after a good rain, but whether the crop was damaged by the freeze has yet to be determined. Overall, the recent rains have immensely improved range and pasture conditions and filled up stock tanks. Heavy rains kept producers out of the pecan bottoms and from applying zinc. There has been no freeze damage yet reported on pecan trees.
In the CENTRAL part of the state, cold weather and snow over the weekend caused some crop damage. Only time will tell about economic losses. Most stock tanks are full now from excessive rains. Farmers did have time to plant corn before the heavy rains, but some fields did not emerge and may require replanting.
In the SOUTHEAST, winter annuals were flowering and ryegrass headed out. The cold snap slowed bermudagrass progress, but previous conditions were warm enough to stimulate growth. The wet weather has kept producers from planting rice and kept pastures muddy and grass weak.
In the SOUTHWEST, the cold rain brought much needed moisture. The year-to-date rainfall has been excellent, but the soil profile remains very dry in the more southwestern counties. Fortunately, Extension agents report, the cold spell was not severe enough to damage most crops. Grapes and peaches in the Hill Country appear to have escaped damage, but the peach crop may suffer a ten- to fifteen-percent reduction. Still, this is a better news than in March 2006, when a late freeze cut peach production by more than ninety percent. Bluebonnets are continuing to bloom. Corn, sorghum, wheat and potatoes are making good progress. Cotton planting continues to gain momentum.
In the COASTAL BEND, widely scattered rain improved pastures and early planted corn and sorghum. Farming activities continue to be on hold because of wet fields. Cattle are in excellent condition.
In the SOUTH region, most of the counties reported adequate soil moisture. Temperatures have been in the mid eighties, which, along with the moisture, caused wheat, oats and forages to show good growth. The cabbage, citrus and sugarcane harvests continued, and the spring onion harvest picked up. Extension experts expect corn and cotton planting to be completed in a few days, and melon planting to begin next week. With good forages, producers have either limited or ceased supplemental feeding to livestock.
From Texas Cooperative Extension, this has been your weekly crop and weather report.
From Overton, Texas, I'm Robert Burns
-30-