Dry Weather Just What Crops Need
Published: Friday, August 6, 2021
The following is from the Indiana Field Office of USDA's National Agricultural Statistics Service for the week ending Aug. 1.
Warm, dry weather relieved overly saturated fields and spurred field work. Soil moisture levels increased from the previous week, with 81 percent of topsoil moisture reported as adequate or surplus.
The average temperature for the week was 74 degrees F, .4 degrees below normal.
The amount of rainfall varied from .05 to 1.68 inches over the week. The statewide average precipitation was .81 inches.
There were 5.9 days suitable for fieldwork.
Dry weather made for exceptional field working conditions and helped dry saturated fields.
Corn silking progressed ahead of its five-year average and dough progress remained on schedule.
Both soybean blooming and setting pods progressed ahead of their respective five-year averages.
Corn and soybean crop conditions steadily improved over the last week with 76 percent of corn and 72 percent of soybeans rated in good to excellent condition.
Double crop soybeans were emerging and exhibiting vigorous growth. Ideal weather conditions allowed for second and third cuttings of alfalfa and hay to be taken when possible.
Although heat indexes were high, livestock was reported to be in good condition. Parts of the state witnessed tornados.
Activities for the week included weed spraying, state fair activities, potato harvesting, roadside mowing and aerial fungicide applications.
Topsoil moisture was rated very short, 4 percent; short, 15 percent; adequate, 75 percent; surplus, 6 percent.
Subsoil moisture was rated very short, 4 percent; short, 16 percent; adequate, 75 percent; surplus, 5 percent.
The crop progress schedule (last week, previous week, 2020 and 5-year average) showed: corn silking, 93, 82, 92, 83; corn dough, 31, 19, 34, 31; soybeans blooming, 85, 74, 86, 77; soybeans setting pods, 52, 36, 52, 48; alfalfa hay, second cutting, 92, 81, 91, 90; alfalfa hay, third cutting, 32, 17, 21, 21; other hay, second cutting, 80, 65, 72, 76; other hay, third cutting, 16, 3, 8, 13.
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