Across the Southeast, June 4, 2009: Summertime?

Based on the weather last weekend and this week, it appears the cool and wet spring is over. While crops are being planted in some areas, other crops and areas are doing quite well. All crops are responding to warmer and drier field conditions. However, approximately 10 early growing days were lost from this growing season. It is awfully difficult, if not impossible, to make them up. Now the management decisions will be made to prevent any more losses in yield potential.

Peanut producers should be concerned as they consider late planting dates and resulting late harvest dates. Two very timely articles by Beasley (University of Georgia) and Chapin (Clemson) can be found in the AgFax Media Publication PeanutFax.

Alabama: Wheat yields have a wide range from 25 to 50 bushels per acre and the test weights are reportedly dropping. Worse, in some fields mold is developing and grain is sprouting. Three-cornered-alfalfa hoppers are being found in low numbers in soybean fields. In North Alabama producers are reportedly giving up on corn and cotton in favor of soybeans, while in South Alabama cotton is still going in the ground. Heavy thrips damage is reported on cotton where the at-plant insecticide is depleted.

Alabama Weekly Crop and Weather Report: Alabama Crop Report

Florida: Rains on the Panhandle, some of which were heavy, have delayed wheat harvest and causes some disease. Also delayed are cotton and soybean plantings. The oldes cotton is at the third true leaf with mostly good stands. Peanuts are still being planted, but it's late and the spring rains continue.

Florida Weekly Crop and Weather Report: Florida Crop Report

Georgia: Rains have delayed field work with low temperatures of 60 degrees and daytime highs of the low 80's. Corn looks good with some at silking. Overall the crop is shorter than normal. Some disteases such as rust and Northern corn leaf blight are present in fields of corn followed by corn rotations. Perhaps 60% of the wheat crop has been harvested, but poor grain quality is a concern.

Peanut plantings are at 60% complete as compated to the normal 90% completed. Cotton is behind but the planters are rolling.

Georgia Weekly Crop and Weather Report: Georgia Crop Report

North Carolina: Wheat has a lot of disease pressure. Corn looks decent but needs rain on some to stop leaf curl. Cotton is reported to run from good to bad. While the thrips infestation is light, the at-plant insecticides are depleted and insects will increase. Farmers should be prepared to make foliat treatments as soon as threshold infestations are present. Hopefully the cotton plants will quickly grow out of the thrips stage.

North Carolina Weekly Crop and Weather Report: North Carolina Pest News

South Carolina: Soybeans are perhaps 45% planted with some delays due to excess rain slowing wheat harvest. Cotton planting is near completion. With the exception of a few grasshoppers, the insects are quiet. Farmers are nearly finished with peanut planting with most of the intended acres planted. The heavy rains earlier have triggered some herbicide damage to peanuts that warm dry soils should help.

South Carolina Weekly Crop and Weather Report: South Carolina Crop Report

Virginia: A Louisiana consultant noted the earliest corn was still in the sack. Reports indicate that a similar situation exists in parts of Virginia. The larger corn is getting side-dress fertilizer applications. The soil moisture is adeauate and crops are responding to the warmer temperatures. Cotton at-plant insecticides are depleted and foliar thrips treatments are being made. A few western flower thrips are present, but they are spotty and not at threshold levels yet.

Virginia Weekly Crop and Weather Report: Virginia Crop Report

--Tom Crumby