Canola field (rdnewsNOW / Sheldon Spackman)

By rdnewsNOW Staff

Moisture Needed

Heat taking a toll on local crops

Jul 16, 2021 | 4:26 PM

The heat wave in recent weeks has taken a toll on central Alberta crops, hay and pastures.

In the latest Alberta Crop Report from Alberta Agriculture and Forestry in partnership with Agriculture Financial Services Corporation (AFSC), officials say rain showers brought moisture to most parts of the region and cooler weather, which came later, helped to revive some crops and forages. Even so, yield loss is expected.

More moisture is needed, however, to help fill out crops, and also for second cut hay. Some producers in drier areas are said to be in the process of making silage or green feed for their cereals. Some areas have had hail with moderate to severe damage and gopher infestations are becoming a concern in some areas.

Spring cereals are in the head emergence stage of development and fall seeded crops are in the milk development stage. About 86 per cent of canola and 47 per cent of dry peas are now in flower, while six per cent of canola and 23 per cent of dry peas are in the podding stage.

About 73 per cent of dryland and 60 per cent of irrigated haying is complete, compared to their respective 5-year averages of 36 and 21 per cent. Dryland and irrigated yields (5-year averages shown in the brackets) are estimated at 1.4 (1.4) and 2.0 (2.2) tons per acre, respectively.

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Hay quality is rated at 34 per cent poor or fair and 66 per cent good or excellent for dryland, and 30 per cent poor or fair and 70 per cent good for irrigated. Tame hay conditions are now reported as 26 per cent poor, 27 per cent fair and 47 per cent good.

Surface and sub-surface soil moisture are both rated at 26 per cent poor, 28 per cent fair and 46 per cent good.

Provincially, the prolonged record-breaking heat that peaked at the end of June and continued into early July brought extremely warm air and drying winds across the province. The high temperatures either advanced the stage of crop development rapidly or stagnated some crops.

Additionally, precipitation was limited over the past two weeks. Some areas have received moisture in the form of thunderstorms, while many others have not. This is said to have deteriorated crop growing conditions across the province and reduced yield potential. Crops and forages in most areas are in need of immediate moisture and cooler temperatures to make any recovery.

Compared to the previous report (conditions as of June 28), provincial crop growing conditions dropped 32 per cent and are now rated as 37 per cent good to excellent, below the provincial 5-year average of 74 per cent and the 10-year average of 73 per cent.

Crop growing condition ratings dropped for all regions, with the North East Region deteriorating the most (down 50 per cent), followed by the Peace (down 48 per cent) and North West Region (down 45 per cent). Conditions deteriorated 18 per cent in the Central Region and 16 per cent in the South Region.

Regionally, crop growing conditions are currently the best in the Central Region, with 59 per cent of all crops rated as good or excellent, while the worst conditions are reported in the Peace and North West Regions where crop conditions are rated at 18 and 27 per cent good or excellent, respectively. About 33 per cent of crops in the South and 35 per cent in the North East Region are rated as good or excellent.