Early Manitoba harvest progress is lagging the average pace.
According to the latest weekly crop report on Tuesday, just 9% of the province’s spring wheat crop was in the bin, well behind the three-year average of 44%. Only 1% of the oats had been combined compared to 25% on average, while 43% of the dry peas were off versus 81% on average.
On the other hand, the barley harvest was tracking near the average at 13% complete.
The winter wheat and fall rye harvests, at 61% and 74% done, respectively, were also running behind the average of 90% for both crops.
The report estimated the overall Manitoba harvest at around 5% complete.
Reported cereal yields to date have been average to slightly below average, given stresses faced by all crops this spring.
Rainfall over Manitoba was variable this past week, with high amounts in the Eastern and parts of Central regions, and moderate amounts in the Interlake, Northwest and Southwest.
Southwest:
Unsettled weather continued in the Southwest. There are reports of a tornado that touched down near the village of Alexander but no reports of any loss. Wind damage to crops as lodging is visible in some fields. Canola, wheat and other crops are suffering with minor lodging especially in the pathways of these storms. Rain amount is variable and widespread. Almost whole region got some kind of moisture.
The majority of producers welcome rain now as some crops have started to show signs of heat stress. Southern areas received more rain as compared to areas in the north of the TransCanada. Wawanesa got 47mm, Sinclair 40mm, and Shilo area got 58mm over the last week. Other parts of the region received 10 to 30mm. Rain is very beneficial for longer season crops like soybean, corn and sunflower, but canola is benefitting as rain aids the ripening process. Cereals and peas need hot and dry weather at this stage as harvest begins in earnest. Winter wheat harvest continues, while fall rye harvest is done. Yields are variable, ranging from 70 to 80 bu/ac with good quality.
Canola is progressing well, later seeded or re-seeded crops finished flowering, with a few exceptions due to high moisture conditions or very late seeding.
Northwest:
Temperatures hovered near 30°C throughout the week, which continued to advance the crop in the Northwest region. The weekend brought wind and thundershowers. Soil moisture is adequate for the most part, although there are some very dry areas in the south east of the region that missed the rain showers. There have not been significant harvest operations in the Northwest last week other than an initial start to field peas.
Spring wheat and cereals are mostly in the dough stage with some earlier seeded fields in the firm dough stage. Barley is turning and is very close to harvest condition in the southern part of the region. Winter wheat and fall rye are ripening and are very close to maturity, with some green tillers. The canola crop is podded with the earlier seeded fields starting to turn colour and the latest seeded fields almost through flowering. Some fields around Russell are further advanced. Soybeans are at about R3 stage and pods are filling. Field peas are podded and the crop is ripening. Desiccation of field peas is taking place as conditions allow and correct staging is reached.
There has been a start to field pea harvest around Swan River with about 3% of the crop harvested. Peas are further advanced around Roblin and more progress is has been made with about 50% of the peas combined. The flax crop is in the boll development stage. Last weeks showers benefitted pastures and second-cut alfalfa-hay fields.
Central:
Sunny, warm and dry conditions prevailed during the first part of the week. A band of thundershowers travelled across the region on Thursday bringing 7 to 75 mm of precipitation. Much of the central portion of the region received a welcome 10 to 15mm but the southeast corner around Morris and Altona received as much as 75 mm leaving some water ponding in low-lying area of fields. The areas along and north of the TransCanada received 25 to 40mm of precipitation greatly improving soil moisture conditions for that area. Nighttime temperatures cooled down to the mid-teens to high single digits combined with heavy dews on many mornings. Crops are holding reasonably well with the current moisture and temperature conditions.
Wheat, barley and oats are maturing rapidly to fully ripe. Many wheat fields in the Portage area and in the Red River Valley appear ripe and ready to be harvested, but have been slightly tough moisture content. Earliest planted barley fields are swathed or harvested with many more looking ripe. Harvest of barley fields is underway with early reported yields ranging from 70 to 100 bu/ac and good quality. Many oat fields nearing swath timing in the Red River Valley where harvest has begun with first reported yields in the 110 to 120 bu/ac range. Swathing of cereals and harvest progress is expected to pick up in the coming week, as many fields are mature. Straw is being harvested on many harvested cereal grain fields. Cereals are standing up well and maturing evenly. Fusarium head blight symptoms are showing up in barley and wheat but the severity appears low.
Swathing of canola fields is underway for earliest planted canola fields while pod shatter resistant varieties remain standing for direct harvest. Minimum harvest of canola so far and no reported yields. No major insect outbreaks reported so far.
Eastern:
Since last Tuesday, rainfall accumulations in the Eastern region ranged from about 30mm to as much as 100mm occurring as thunderstorms over the past weekend. Temperatures moved from above seasonal before the rainfall to seasonal afterwards. Overall, soil moisture conditions on cropland were rated as 85% adequate and 15% short for those areas that received the lower amounts of weekend rainfall. Pasture and hayland soil moisture conditions were rated as about 80% adequate and 20% short.
While the weekend rainfall delayed the start of harvest for many producers, most were very happy it arrived as the rain is expected to benefit warm season crops that are now in the midst of reproductive growth stages. Given that most fields were very dry, little standing water in fields was observed and producers were able to restart harvesting operations on Monday. Across the region, winter wheat harvest was about 80% complete. Initial yield reports ranged from 65 to 75 bu/acre with good quality. Spring cereal harvest was only about 10% complete with producers hoping to make rapid progress this week. Initial reports of 60 to 65 bu/acre for spring wheat were received. Canola maturity was noted as varying widely this year. Some canola fields had been swathed and pre-harvest herbicide applications were ongoing with about 50% of canola slated for a pre-harvest herbicide sprayed so far.
Field pea harvest was almost complete. Yield reports ranged from 60 to 80 bu/ac with good quality.
Interlake:
Harvest continues, with minimal delays following recent rains. Precipitation continues to be extremely variable with scattered thundershowers. Teulon and Lake Francis and south received significant rainfall, with amounts ranging from 30 to 50mm. Individual reports of up to 65mm. Further north, Inwood received 16mm; all other areas were under 8mm and most less than 5 mm.
Crops continue to advance quickly. Temperatures reached up to 30°C last week, with average temperatures of 17°C to 19°C. While rains have been beneficial for later maturing crops, hay and pasture in the south, much of the region continues to register significantly lower than normal rainfall amounts. Crop yields will be impacted, but there have been positive results to date. While most crops are past benefiting from rain, it is much needed, especially in the northern part of the region for fill in later maturing crops, as well as to replenish hay land and pasture. Crops have continued to look better than rainfall amounts would indicate, but premature ripening is noticeable, especially on lighter textured soils. Drought stress symptoms in soybeans and corn have been relieved somewhat with rains in the south, but there are reports of early maturing soybeans shutting down due to dry conditions.
Crop yields are variable; higher yields are the result of an extra rain or two. Even 50mm of rain only slowed harvest operations for a day or two. Cereals are changing rapidly, with drydown applications and swathing ongoing. Winter wheat yields reported to date in the 50 to 65 bu/ac range, with significant stresses last fall and this spring. Barley harvest is advancing well, with yields to date ranging from 60 to 110 bu/ac. Spring wheat harvest continues; yields reported in the 50 to 95 bu/ac range. Harvest should be widespread by next week. Early oat harvest at 90 to 130 bu, with some reported as light; swathing continues. Most of the fall rye harvest is complete with yields to date ranging from 60 to 100 bu/ac.
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