The quality of crops in the Weyburn region is fairly good right now, while the crop development ranges from excellent for fall-seeded crops to as much as three weeks behind, depending on how seeding went and whether the crop received the needed rainfalls.This is the assessment of the grains and oilseeds currently under production in the southeast, according to Weyburn agrologist Elaine Moats, with the weekly crop report providing some current numbers on how the crops are progressing.The fall rye has started to turn colour, which is as it should be, and the spring crops should be heading right now. By and by, spring wheat and durum are starting to head now; some are quite a bit behind, and some are a ways from that. Peas and lentils are flowering, and canola fields are generally starting to bloom, but some havent even started. Theyre coming along as well as they can, said Moats.Midale area farmer Brad Eggum said of his crops, Things are looking fairly good. Theres a great variance in where crop development is. The early crops are advancing, but then we had seeding going right up to the crop insurance deadline. Those crops look good, but theyre late. Overall, theres some holes in some of the fields because of the rainfall that caused drowning-out in parts of the fields.As for any insects or diseases causing problems, Eggum said he hasnt had much to worry about yet, aside from some grasshoppers in lentils which are flowering. He noted there were early warnings of possible infestations of diamondback moths in canola, but he said hasnt found any yet, nor any signs yet of wheat midge.A new crop hes been trying is soybeans, with some 4-5,000 acres seeded to new varieties bred for this zone, and he said so far theyre looking pretty good.Of crop quality, Moats said of the southeast area, where the crops look good, they look very good. There are areas where the crops were drowned out, and its looking very tough.Overall about 80 per cent of crops got seeded this year, she added, which is quite a bit better than some other areas of the province. In this area, there are fields between Weyburn and Pangman, and north of Highway 28 towards Regina, where lots of areas didnt get seeded or were flooded out. There are areas all over the place that were drowned out.Since April 1, said Moats, rainfall has varied widely in this region, with some areas getting about six to seven inches, and others over 15 inches of rain.Asked about insects in this region, the agrologist notes that grasshoppers are hatching right now all over the southeast, and they could be a serious issue for lentils as she notes it only takes a few grasshoppers to cause great damage to lentils, as they attack them in the flowering stage rather than eating the leaves.Agriculture officials have set traps for Bertha armyworm, and Moats said within a couple weeks they should have an idea about numbers in this region.I havent heard any reports of wheat midge yet, but this is the time of year they are usually active. Producers should take a look, its worth checking out, said Moats.One problem that may manifest itself in the coming weeks is root rot, she added, as it wont really be apparent until heat hits the plants; if theres root rot, the plant wont be able to handle the stress of the heat, and they will seem to go backwards instead of maturing as heat usually affects crops.Haying is continuing in the area, with about 22 per cent of this areas hay cut so far, states Sask. Ag and Foods crop report, with 11 per cent baled or put into silage. The majority of the hay crop so far is rated as good to excellent quality, and yields look good.Topsoil moisture on crop land is being rated by crop reporters as 38 per cent surplus, 60 per cent adequate and two per cent short. On hay land, moisture is rated as 26 per cent surplus and 73 per cent adequate. In crop district 2B (which includes the RMs of Lajord, Francis and Montmartre, they are reporting 53 per cent surplus and 47 per cent adequate moisture on crop land.Hail was reported in the Weyburn, Pangman and Kisbey areas, and ascochyta blight and leaf diseases are causing some damages as well. Rainfall varied widely in the area, with the Stoughton area getting 63 mm, the Weyburn area 68 mm and the Ceylon area 29 mm.Eggum noted in the Midale area there was about an inch and three-quarters to two inches (51 mm) received, which in his opinion topped up the fields just nicely.
