in-crop-weather

State
Indiana Crop Weather

Week Ending Date
May 27, 2001

Issue
IN-CW2101

Agricultural Summary 

Rain halted fieldwork in most areas of the state last week.
Isolated areas received heavy showers and ponding is evident
in low lying areas of some fields.  Recent precipitation has
helped replenish both topsoil and subsoil moisture.  Armyworms
continue to be a problem in some crops and pastures.  Farmers
should continue to monitor fields to determine if spraying is
necessary. Emergence has been slow in some soybean fields.   
	
						
Field Crops Report

There were 1.7 days suitable for fieldwork. Virtually all
intended corn acreage has emerged compared with 90 percent a
year ago.  Corn condition is rated 72 percent good to
excellent compared with 81 percent last year at this time.
Ninety-six percent of the soybean acreage is planted compared
with 85 percent a year ago and 66 percent for the average. 
By area, 98 percent of the soybean acreage is planted in the
north, 98 percent in the central regions and 89 percent in the
south.  Eighty-eight percent of the intended soybean acreage
has emerged compared with 66 percent last year.  Other
activities during the week included spraying, applying
anhydrous ammonia, cleaning and repairing equipment, chopping
forage, mowing roads and hauling manure.
               
Virtually all the winter wheat has headed compared with 97
percent last year and 77 percent for the average.  Winter
wheat condition is rated 65 percent good to excellent 
compared with 82 percent a year ago at this time.

Livestock, Pasture and Range Report

Pasture condition is rated 6 percent excellent, 43 percent
good, 27 percent fair, 15 percent poor and 9 percent very poor.
Livestock are in mostly good condition. Transplanting of
tobacco is 31 percent complete compared with 25 percent for
the average.  First cutting of alfalfa hay is 30 percent
complete compared with 25 percent for the 5-year average.

                          
                  Crop Progress Table
---------------------------------------------------
                     : This : Last : Last : 5-Year
     Crop            : Week : Week : Year :  Avg
---------------------------------------------------
                          Percent
Corn Emerged           100     95     90      NA
Soybeans Planted        96     94     85      66
Soybeans Emerged        88     70     66      NA
Winter Wheat Headed    100     88     97      77
Tobacco Plants Set      31     26     36      25
Alfalfa First Cutting   30     NA     27      25
                             

                    
                    Crop Condition Table
--------------------------------------------------------
                 : Very :      :      :      : Excel-
     Crop        : Poor : Poor : Fair : Good : lent
--------------------------------------------------------
                          Percent
Corn                1       5     22     58      14
Soybeans            2       6     28     56       8
Pasture             9      15     27     43       6
Winter Wheat 2001   4       7     24     57       8

Soil Moisture & Days Suitable For Fieldwork Table
-------------------------------------------------------
                   : This : Last : Last
                   : Week : Week : Year
-------------------------------------------------------
                       Percent
Topsoil
  Very Short           2      13     1
  Short                9      18     8
  Adequate            65      58    78
  Surplus             24      11    13
Subsoil
  Very Short           7      16     9
  Short               23      31    34
  Adequate            64      49    52
  Surplus              6       4     5
Days Suitable        1.7     4.3   4.0

Contact information

--Ralph W. Gann, State Statistician
--Bud Bever, Agricultural Statistician
  E-Mail Address: nass-in@nass.usda.gov
  http://www.nass.usda.gov/in/index.htm                     

Other Agricultural Comments And News

   
Armyworms March On; Farmers May Apply For Assistance
                             
                             
Armyworms continue to march and destroy Indiana cropland and
pastures.  Hoosier farmers with damaged acres may be eligible
for disaster assistance through the U.S. Department of
Agriculture's Farm Service Agency (FSA), but they must apply
soon.  The 2001 Non-insured Crop Disaster Assistance Program
may cover armyworm damage, said Doug Hovermale, FSA program
specialist.  Details are still being worked out, he said.
"Producers who have possible damage to non-insured crops are
encouraged to file a notice of loss   form CCC  576   to
protect any possible future benefits," Hovermale said.  "This
must be done within 15 days of the disaster event or the date
loss becomes apparent."  Farmers may obtain the form at their
county FSA office.  Coverage takes effect 30 days after the
application is submitted.  Benefits are based on 50 percent of
a county's established yield or the producer's actual
production history if established with the county FSA office
and 55 percent of the county's established price for the
affected crop.

Armyworm larvae are feeding in southwest and west central
Indiana counties.  The pests also have been spotted in
portions of northern and northeast Indiana, said John
Obermeyer, a Purdue University entomologist.

The worms, which range from a quarter-inch to 1.25 inches
long, consume emerging corn, wheat, rye and other tall growing
grasses.  Obermeyer said he's seen fields and pastures
"denuded " by the hungry pests.

"This is definitely a serious infestation," Obermeyer said. 
"Some farmers are comparing it with an infestation going back
to the early 1970s.  I've heard others say they haven't seen
it like this since the 1950s."

Keith Johnson, Purdue Cooperative Extension Service Forage
Specialist, said he was amazed at armyworm damage he'd
encountered in southern Indiana in the past few days.  "I was
actually able to hear the larvae chew their supper," Johnson
said.  "I hope that I never see or hear such a sight again."
Farmers should inspect their fields for armyworm activity and
take decisive action, Obermeyer said.  Before applying
pesticides, check product labels for harvest and livestock
grazing restrictions, Obermeyer said.

Fescue and orchardgrass fields will recover from armyworm
feeding, Johnson said.  Under normal growing conditions,
grasses should be ready for livestock  grazing or hay  mowing
within six weeks, he said.
                                                            
Sowing sorghum-sudangrass into damaged fields should not be
done, Johnson said.  "I am not in favor of no-tilling any
annual crops into pasture or hay fields that were good stands
before the armyworm invasion," Johnson said.  "Grass regrowth
will be competitive with the young seedlings.  I doubt that
the farmer recoups the cost of seed and time in no-tilling
annuals into the perennial grass pasture or hay fields."

Clipping stems can provide even and vigorous grass regrowth
and reduce eye irritation to livestock, Johnson said.

For more information on armyworms and control options, read
Purdue Extension Publication E-57, "Armyworm and Fall
Armyworm," by Obermeyer and Purdue entomologists Rich Edwards
and Larry Bledsoe.  The publication is available through
county Extension offices or may be  downloaded  online  at 
<http://www.agcom.purdue.edu/AgCom/
Pubs/pdflinks/E-57/html>.

Steve Leer, Agricultural Communications, Purdue University.

                  Weather Information Table

     
               Week Ending Sunday May 27, 2001
--------------------------------------------------
                | Past Week Weather Summary Data   
                |---------------------------------
 Station        |      Air      |           | Avg  
                |  Temperature  |  Precip.  |4 in.  
                |---------------|-----------|Soil 
                |Hi |Lo |Avg|DFN|Total |Days|Temp 
-------------------------------------------------- 
Northwest (1)   |                                
Valparaiso_Ag   |72   43  56  -8   2.58    7     
Wanatah         |78   44  58  -5   1.46    6   62
Wheatfield      |77   44  57  -6   1.80    7     
Winamac         |76   46  58  -6   1.62    6   62
North Central(2)|                                
Logansport      |76   47  58  -7   1.43    6     
Plymouth        |76   43  55  -9   2.12    6     
South_Bend      |76   44  57  -6   1.19    6     
Young_America   |78   45  58  -6   1.08    6     
Northeast (3)   |                                
Bluffton        |75   47  58  -7   1.30    5   62
Fort_Wayne      |76   46  59  -5   1.40    7     
West Central (4)|                                
Crawfordsville  |79   41  57  -8   1.61    7   64
Perrysville     |78   43  58  -7   0.71    6   64
Terre_Haute_Ag  |84   42  60  -6   0.92    6   66
W_Lafayette_6NW |78   44  58  -7   1.17    6   60
Central (5)     |                                
Castleton       |78   46  58  -8   2.33    5     
Greenfield      |78   44  58  -8   2.22    6     
Greensburg      |77   47  60  -5   1.62    6     
Indianapolis_AP |78   46  59  -7   1.26    5     
Indianapolis_SE |79   39  57  -9   1.66    5     
Tipton_Ag       |78   45  57  -7   0.59    5   62
East Central (6)|                                
Farmland        |78   43  58  -5   1.83    5   60
New_Castle      |76   43  56  -8   2.58    5     
Southwest (7)   |                                
Dubois_Ag       |80   46  60  -6   1.77    7   67
Evansville      |79   45  63  -6   1.69    7     
Freelandville   |79   48  60  -7   1.25    6     
Shoals          |79   45  60  -7   1.54    7     
Vincennes_5NE   |81   45  60  -7   1.35    7   64
South Central(8)|                                
Bloomington     |79   46  59  -7   1.85    7     
Tell_City       |79   48  63  -5   2.00    6     
Southeast (9)   |                                
Scottsburg      |79   46  60  -6   1.90    7     

--------------------------------------------------     
--------------------------------------------------
                |        Accumulation           
                |      April 1, 2001 thru       
 Station        |        May 27, 2001  
                |---------------------------------
                |Precipitation|  GDD Base 50oF   
                |-------------|-------------------
                | Total | DFN |Days|Total| DFN  
--------------------------------------------------
Northwest (1)   |
Valparaiso_Ag   |  7.71  +0.41  31   561  +206
Wanatah         |  6.81  -0.16  32   539  +229
Wheatfield      |  6.89  +0.12  33   593  +259
Winamac         |  8.21  +1.49  31   609  +231
North Central(2)|
Logansport      |  7.67  +0.96  30   579  +205
Plymouth        |  6.81  -0.33  31   530  +132
South_Bend      |  7.40  +0.81  29   577  +242
Young_America   |  6.12  -0.59  26   649  +275
Northeast (3)   |
Bluffton        |  8.17  +1.38  30   594  +206
Fort_Wayne      |  6.12  -0.23  32   586  +233
West Central (4)|
Crawfordsville  |  5.05  -2.57  26   602  +153
Perrysville     |  4.44  -2.94  26   698  +279
Terre_Haute_Ag  |  9.43  +1.59  26   778  +304
W_Lafayette_6NW |  5.70  -1.42  25   664  +284
Central (5)     |
Castleton       |  8.02  +0.38  25   673  +230
Greenfield      |  6.94  -0.87  25   671  +252
Greensburg      |  8.28  -0.01  22   730  +300
Indianapolis_AP |  5.76  -1.45  20   746  +283
Indianapolis_SE |  5.69  -1.95  19   659  +216
Tipton_Ag       |  6.62  -0.62  22   577  +234
East Central (6)|
Farmland        |  8.85  +2.00  25   584  +252
New_Castle      | 10.11  +2.18  27   520  +179
Southwest (7)   |
Dubois_Ag       |  5.25  -3.15  19   798  +294
Evansville      |  4.88  -3.33  20   889  +274
Freelandville   |  4.61  -3.70  22   796  +294
Shoals          |  5.49  -3.24  20   745  +260
Vincennes_5NE   |  3.64  -4.67  19   828  +326
South Central(8)|
Bloomington     |  5.28  -2.83  23   755  +262
Tell_City       |  4.33  -4.70  14   857  +288
Southeast (9)   |
Scottsburg      |  6.81  -1.30  22   782  +276
-------------------------------------------------------------
DFN = Departure From Normal (Using 1961-90 Normals Period).
GDD = Growing Degree Days.
Precipitation (rain or melted snow/ice) in inches.
Precipitation Days = Days with precipitation of 0.01 inch or
more.
Air Temperatures in Degrees Fahrenheit. 

Copyright 2001:  AWIS, Inc.  All Rights Reserved.

   The above weather information is provided by AWIS, Inc.
 For detailed ag weather forecasts and data visit the AWIS
                       home page at
     www.awis.com or call toll free at 1-888-798-9955.