Some Winter Wheat Emerging Late

March 20, 2001

USDA says analysis of satellite imagery and weather data indicates that the 2001 hard red winter wheat crop in the Southern Plains (Kansas, Oklahoma, Texas, Nebraska, and Colorado) is emerging from dormancy later than seen in recent crop years. However, February and March weather in 1998, 1999, and 2000 was generally warmer than normal.

Daily temperatures during February and the first half of March have been slightly below normal in Kansas, Colorado, and Nebraska but slightly above normal in Texas and Oklahoma. However, across the region it has been much colder than the same period in 1998, 1999, and 2000. Snow, ice and mixed precipitation have also been more frequent this year.

As of March 15, the 2001 winter wheat crop was coming out of dormancy in as good or better crop condition than it was at this time last year, the report said. Soil moisture was adequate across most of the major wheat producing counties in the Southern Plains, and winter-kill and freeze damage have not been problems to date.

On Jan. 11 the National Agricultural Statistics Service announced that winter wheat planted area for this crop year was at its lowest level since 1971. Across the Southern Plains, Oklahoma, Colorado and Texas are down from last year, while Kansas and Nebraska increased their planted area. Regionwide dryness at planting may have contributed to the acreage reduction. For those who planted, crop conditions greatly improved due to the general increase in precipitation seen across the region since the last third of October.