Soil Moisture Falls to Lowest Point
Published: Friday, August 16, 2019
The following is from the Indiana Field Office of USDA's National Agricultural Statistics Service for the week ending Aug. 11.
Another week of unusually dry weather further raised concerns regarding crop development. Warm temperatures and below average precipitation brought soil moisture levels to their lowest point so far this season.
The average temperature for the week was 73.7 degrees F, 1 degree above normal.
The amount of rainfall varied from none to 1.35 inches over the week. The statewide average precipitation was .26 inches.
There were 6.6 days suitable for fieldwork.
Corn and soybean development was impacted by the dry weather last week, and crop conditions declined slightly. Signs of moisture stress were visible across the state, especially in fields with coarse soils. Irrigation was running where available.
Producers took advantage of the dry weather to bale hay, though regrowth in hay fields and pastures had slowed.
Other activities for the week included herbicide and fungicide applications, mowing roadsides, harvesting mint, and visiting the State Fair.
Topsoil moisture was rated very short, 17 percent; short, 44 percent; adequate, 37 percent; surplus, 2 percent.
Subsoil moisture was rated very short, 11 percent; short, 41 percent; adequate, 46 percent; surplus, 2 percent.
The crop progress schedule (last week, previous week, 2018 and 5-year average) showed: corn, silking 79, 60, 100, 98; corn, dough 28, 16, 73, 60; corn, dented 1, NA, 23, 16; soybeans, blooming 70, 54, 94, 93; soybeans, setting pods 34, 19, 84, 78; alfalfa hay, second cutting 88, 81, 100, 97; alfalfa hay, third cutting 23, 3, 51, 40; other hay, second cutting 78, 66, 94, 92; other hay, third cutting 14, 1, 34, 26.
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