Tuesday’s cooler weather was a welcome relief for area farmers, with highs barely reaching the 80-degree barrier.
But with only a trace of precipitation, fall crops are in danger if nothing of significance falls in the near future.
In fact, it’s probably too late for much of the corn that has already begun its dry-down period, noted Chad Guthrie, Southwind Extension agent for agriculture.
“It was super hot and super dry while the corn was trying to pollinate for a lot of Allen County,” Guthrie said. “If you weren’t catching any timely rains while the corn was pollinating, it’s probably in pretty rough shape.”
The short pollination process leaves just a small window for when rainfall can be advantageous, Guthrie continued.
Farmers needed the rain in July, he said. “Any rain now will just be affecting moisture content.”
According to Iola city records, only a trace of rainfall came with Tuesday’s cooler temps, following a smidgeon more that fell on Aug. 4.
Prior to that, it’s been a full month, since July 4-5, that Iola received any substantial rain.
The half-inch of moisture that’s fallen since then was spread out, with never more than a tenth of an inch in any 24-hour period, according to Iola city records.
Coupling that with temperatures routinely in the mid-90s or above creates another headache for corn producers — aflatoxin, a fungus common to drought-stressed cornfields.
And with the exorbitant heat lasting for more than a month, you have the makings of a dismal fall harvest.
Counties farther south, in Neosho, Cherokee and Labette counties have fared even worse, Guthrie said.
“I’ve seen where farmers were just haying their corn crops because it didn’t pollinate at all,” Guthrie said. “We may have caught a little more timely rain north of U.S. 54, but they’re not gonna be record yields by any means.”
Guthrie foresees a wide variable when it comes to yields.
“Hopefully, those on the low end, with the 10- or 20-bushel (per acre) corn have already started talking to their insurance agents.”
THE PICTURE for soybeans may be a bit brighter, but the clock is ticking, Guthrie continued.
Unlike corn, soybean plants have a longer reproductive period, in which the bean pods grow and develop.
“For the most part, our soybeans are hanging in there,” said James Coover, an agent with the K-State Extension Wildcat District, “But they’re not doing great. We’ve already lost yield, especially ones that were double-cropped.”
But for those that caught at least some rain, there’s still hope.
Forecasts call for a chance of rain over the weekend.
“If we miss out on this next rain, I don’t know how the soybeans are gonna do well after that,” Coover said.
Guthrie agreed, urging farmers to pay attention to their soybean plants in the coming days and weeks.
“Some rain now could be pretty saving for them,” Guthrie said. “Soybeans can hold off a little longer than corn. But if we don’t get rain, it’s gonna start to look pretty bleak.”
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