Manitoba Agriculture Crop Report – July 18, 2011

Crop Report Prepared by: Manitoba Agriculture, Food and Rural Initiatives GO Teams & Crops Knowledge Centre July 18, 2011 |

Northwest Region
Hot and dry weather conditions were general through the Northwest Region. Relative humidity and winds were average; very scattered and occasional light showers developed from day-time heating.

Through the Swan River and Roblin areas, crop stands are uniform and developing well. Oilseeds are at advanced flowering with up to 80% of canola into pod stages in the Roblin area. Cereals are advanced to 95% into heading and flowering. Soil moisture is becoming limited and the crops could benefit from some precipitation.

Development of crops is less advanced east of the Escarpment from Grandview to Lake Manitoba, with widely variable staging and stand uniformity. All crops in this area are reflecting the difficult excess moisture conditions early in the season. Canola staging ranges from early cabbaging to 55% bloom and 10 to 15% pod stage. Cereals are tillering with wheat reaching 80% heading and flowering. Late seeded greenfeed acres are at various seedling and early tillering stages. Crop stands with root development or root disease issues are beginning to reflect the effects of the hot dry weather conditions.

Overall, fungicide applications are 80 to 90% complete. In the eastern areas, producers continue to make fungicide application decisions relative to yield potentials on a field by field basis. Weed and volunteer growth on unseeded acres and drown outs are being managed by tillage and herbicides, or for potential fall seeded crops.

Bertha armyworm trap counts are increasing in the Swan River and San Clara areas. Some early wheat midge activity has been reported around Ste. Rose and Swan River.

Haying operations are 70 to 80% complete under dry conditions. Yields and quality are average or better. Pastures grazed before forage growth was adequate or under early wet conditions are seeing lost production potential under the recent dry, hot conditions. Production potentials are unchanged for flood-impacted low lying or poorly drained native forage and pasture lands adjacent to Lake’s Manitoba, Winnipegosis and Dauphin.