Late winter wheat planting, lack of moisture may be cutting into yield in the Plains states
2/3/2023 2:06:15 AM
CATEGORIES:
Agriculture
AFFECTED AREAS:
Colorado
Kansas
Nebraska
Oklahoma
Start Date: 2/2/2023
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The ongoing drought in key Plains wheat states has shrouded harvest prospects in doubt, as experts have determined that the increase in precipitation will not be enough to revive the wheat.
“Because the crop was planted so late, and it’s stressed due to lack of moisture, we probably are going to see a yield drag,” stated the executive director of the Oklahoma Wheat Commission.
Persistent drought in the Plains contributed to the 10% increase in hard red winter wheat plantings for 2023 by opening up acres where corn or sorghum crops failed last summer, according to an extension agronomist at Kansas State University. He noted that if the current drought persists into springtime, Plains farmers might choose to skip planting corn and soybeans altogether in 2023 and wait to plant winter wheat this coming fall, for harvest in 2024.
“If we don’t get significant moisture ... I think farmers may elect to fallow some of that ground. We could see wheat acres tick up again for the 2024 crop,” stated the KSU extension agronomist.
Reuters (New York), Feb 2, 2023
Sources
