|
|
|
Arkansas rice farmers are past the prime period for planting, and cotton growers are getting close. Growers say they need a break from the rain.
Craighead County extension agent Steve Culp said a few cotton producers were able to get planters into their fields before the latest system moved through Wednesday evening. With rain in the forecast for Saturday, there is still some uncertainty.
"If we don't get much more than another half inch or so, some cotton growers should be able to get back into their fields my the middle of next week," Culp said. "We don't like to say June in connection with cotton planting."
The National Weather Service says the state may have a dry period after this weekend.
Rice growers are in danger of seeing their yields drop.
"We're in serious shape here," said Rick Thompson, county extension staff chair with the University of Arkansas Division of Agriculture.
"We're way past our prime planting window for the best rice yields," he said. "I think about 35 percent of the intended rice acreage has been planted, and a lot of fields didn't have levees up and had not been treated with a herbicide."
Changing crops isn't an easy move to make, financially.
"We've got farmers who already have their rice seed bought and treated," Thompson said. He said he expects a few growers who farm west of Weiner will water seed, or fly seed onto the flooded fields, hoping to get a crop when the water recedes and leaves the seed on the ground.
The longer farmers go past the prime planting window, the lower the rice yields will drop.
"It's such a high risk game if they can't get it planted on time. Instead of 180 to 200 bushels, farmers may be looking at 130 to 150 bushels or less," he said. "You have to raise 150 bushels to stay in the ball game."
Randy Chlapecka, Jackson County extension staff chair, said farmland along the White, Black and Cache rivers was flooded, creating big problems for farmers.
"The low areas where land is under water is bad, but not as much land is involved as spring flooding last year," he said.
Late March and early April are the most favorable planting times for rice.
A few farmers are thinking about water seeding. That's a last case scenario, he said, "but some guys are pretty successful at it."
Many farmers have planted early variety soybeans, and they can plant later beans by mid-June.
Tom Barber, extension cotton specialist, said planting by Wednesday could result in a decent crop.
"Our optimum planting window closes this weekend," Barber said. "So anything planted after that is subject to a little yield hit. If we can plant through May 20 like we normally do, we still should be OK. Last year we didn't get a lot of cotton in the ground before the third week of May, and that looks to be the same case this year. We actually had great potential last year until the hurricanes and other storms hit."
Around the state, Cooperative Extension Service officials say they are seeing good numbers of true armyworms in wheat, particularly in central Arkansas. The true armyworm is found in wheat this time of year, and it is a different species than the fall armyworm.
Growers are urged to check their wheat fields carefully for armyworms, because the worms tend to move up the plant and clip the heads, causing yield loss.
___
Information from: The Jonesboro Sun, http://www.jonesborosun.com
Copyright 2009 The Associated Press.
Arkansas rice farmers are past the prime period for planting, and cotton growers are getting close. Growers say they need a break from the rain.
Craighead County extension agent Steve Culp said a few cotton producers were able to get planters into their fields before the latest system moved through Wednesday evening. With rain in the forecast for Saturday, there is still some uncertainty.
"If we don't get much more than another half inch or so, some cotton growers should be able to get back into their fields my the middle of next week," Culp said. "We don't like to say June in connection with cotton planting."
The National Weather Service says the state may have a dry period after this weekend.
Rice growers are in danger of seeing their yields drop.
"We're in serious shape here," said Rick Thompson, county extension staff chair with the University of Arkansas Division of Agriculture.
"We're way past our prime planting window for the best rice yields," he said. "I think about 35 percent of the intended rice acreage has been planted, and a lot of fields didn't have levees up and had not been treated with a herbicide."
Changing crops isn't an easy move to make, financially.
"We've got farmers who already have their rice seed bought and treated," Thompson said. He said he expects a few growers who farm west of Weiner will water seed, or fly seed onto the flooded fields, hoping to get a crop when the water recedes and leaves the seed on the ground.
The longer farmers go past the prime planting window, the lower the rice yields will drop.
"It's such a high risk game if they can't get it planted on time. Instead of 180 to 200 bushels, farmers may be looking at 130 to 150 bushels or less," he said. "You have to raise 150 bushels to stay in the ball game."
Randy Chlapecka, Jackson County extension staff chair, said farmland along the White, Black and Cache rivers was flooded, creating big problems for farmers.
"The low areas where land is under water is bad, but not as much land is involved as spring flooding last year," he said.
Late March and early April are the most favorable planting times for rice.
A few farmers are thinking about water seeding. That's a last case scenario, he said, "but some guys are pretty successful at it."
Many farmers have planted early variety soybeans, and they can plant later beans by mid-June.
Tom Barber, extension cotton specialist, said planting by Wednesday could result in a decent crop.
"Our optimum planting window closes this weekend," Barber said. "So anything planted after that is subject to a little yield hit. If we can plant through May 20 like we normally do, we still should be OK. Last year we didn't get a lot of cotton in the ground before the third week of May, and that looks to be the same case this year. We actually had great potential last year until the hurricanes and other storms hit."
Around the state, Cooperative Extension Service officials say they are seeing good numbers of true armyworms in wheat, particularly in central Arkansas. The true armyworm is found in wheat this time of year, and it is a different species than the fall armyworm.
Growers are urged to check their wheat fields carefully for armyworms, because the worms tend to move up the plant and clip the heads, causing yield loss.
___
Information from: The Jonesboro Sun, http://www.jonesborosun.com
Copyright 2009 The Associated Press.
