The AgriPost
Manitoba Crops Looking Decent, Just Need Heat
Jason Voogt of Field 2 Field Agronomy of Carman, MB, said that overall, crops are decent to very good in the south-central region.
By Harry Siemens Jason Voogt of Field 2 Field Agronomy of Carman, MB, said that overall, crops are decent to very good in the south-central region. Small grains, especially, are good. There are some water-stressed areas, especially high spots in sandier soils, and drownouts here and there. Canola is also decent. Corn is decent. Soybeans are good but need heat. Soybeans need to catch up. Brunel Sabourin of Antara Agronomy at St. Jean-Baptiste, MB, said things are off to a good start. However, many other areas of Manitoba and the Prairie Provinces are less fortunate. “We have maybe 10% of our acres that the rains significantly delayed, but we managed to get them in. Some areas have had too much rain,
but it’s been manageable. Corn is behind. Need some heat for it and the soybeans,” said Sabourin. “Some of the first-seeded cereals are at the flag leaf stage. The weather for the cereals has been very favourable this spring.” Spring seeding is complete, with 97 percent of crops planted, but abundant rain and cooler temperatures hamper crop development. Anne Kirk, a cereal crop specialist with Manitoba Agriculture, said that the week of June 13, Manitoba had more rainfall, ranging from a high of 55 millimetres to strong winds and hail, which damaged crops in those regions. Severe storms brought strong winds, hail, and even tornado sightings, resulting in crop damage. “Those strong winds and
hail have caused some crop damage,” noted Kirk. “So far this year, we’ve seen all regions of the province have received more than 100% of normal precipitation, and many areas have exceeded 150%.” Despite the high precipitation, cooler temperatures have persisted. “We’re still seeing some fairly cool temperatures. The growing degree of day accumulation is near or below normal for the majority of the agricultural region of Manitoba,” said Kirk. The recent weather conditions have had a varied impact on crop development. Kirk said the cooler temperatures have made the growth of some of the warmer season crops slower than typically expected. Additionally,
she observed a wide range of seeding dates, resulting in crops ranging from just emerging from the ground to, in the case of oilseeds, some canola plants already bolting. Excess moisture in certain areas has led to challenges. “In some of these wetter areas, we are seeing some drowned-out areas in the field, water laying in the fields, and some crops struggling due to that excess moisture,” she said. Despite these challenges, seeding is nearly complete across the province, with about 97% complete throughout the whole province. The wetness delayed the seeding in some areas, like the Interlake and the eastern region, where it’s wet; some seeding is still ongoing. Kirk highlighted ongoing
June 28, 2024
Brunel Sabourin at St. Jean-Baptiste, MB noted that rain delays Submitted photos affected about 10% of acres during seeding.
“Some first-seeded cereals are at the flag leaf stage. The weather for the cereals has been very favourable this spring,” said Brunel Sabourin of Antara Agronomy at St. Jean-Baptiste, MB.
issues with flea beetles and other pests. For oilseeds, like for flea beetles, canola would range from the cotyledon stage to bolting or even flowering in some of the more advanced fields. There is some flea beetle activity and insecticide applications for those flea beetles. Different regions have reported varying levels of pest activity. According to reports from the northwest region, farmers reseeded some fields due to flea beetle damage. It just depends on the region. Other pests, such as cutworms, diamondback moths, and grasshoppers, are also under watch. “We are seeing some cutworms sporadically affecting crops like canola and sunflowers in the central region, sometimes meeting that
threshold for spraying,” said Kirk. Looking ahead, Kirk expressed hope for improved conditions. “We’re hoping for warmer temperatures to help increase crop growth and development, both for crops and hay and pasture fields,” she said. Farmers were completing remaining seeding as the crop insurance deadline approached. The deadline for many crops, including canola and cereal crops, was coming up right away. Kirk concluded with optimism about the coming days. “We’re expecting that there will be a bit of seeding, and hopefully, we’ll see some more crop growth and development with these warmer temperatures,” she said.