Minnesota Small Grain Planting 3.5 Weeks Ahead Of 2014

Apr 15, 2015

Despite only 3.5 days suitable for field work during the week ending Sunday, Minnesota farmers advanced small grain planting progress to more than 3.5 weeks ahead of last year’s pace, according to USDA’s National Agricultural Statistics Service.

Field activities for the week included planting, tilling, spreading manure, and applying fertilizer. Most farmers were waiting for warmer soil temperatures to begin corn planting.

Rainfall in the southeastern part of the state slightly improved topsoil moisture to 5 percent very short, 32 percent short, 60 percent adequate, and 3 percent surplus. Subsoil moisture supplies were rated 4 percent very short, 36 percent short, 60 percent adequate, and 0 percent surplus.

Twenty percent of Minnesota’s spring wheat was planted, five days ahead of normal and the second highest in the last 10 years, trailing only 2012. Seventeen percent of oat acreage was planted, almost 4 weeks ahead of the previous year. Barley planting progress, at 10 percent complete, was one month ahead of last year and one day ahead of the five year average. Sugarbeet planting was 11 percent complete, 30 days ahead of last year.

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Video: Not only is corn getting sweatier, it's getting smarter

Over the past several weeks, much of the U.S. Midwest has experienced prolonged episodes of extreme heat, a trend also observed in other major corn-producing regions of North America such as eastern South Dakota, southern Ontario, and parts of Kansas and Missouri. These high-temperature events can place significant physiological stress on maize (Zea mays L.), which is cultivated on approximately 90 million acres across the United States, with leading production in Iowa, Illinois, Nebraska, and Minnesota. Like all maize, Bayer’s PRECEON™ Smart Corn System is subject to transpiration-driven water loss under high heat. However, this system incorporates agronomic traits designed to improve standability through enhanced stalk strength, thereby reducing lodging risk during stress conditions. Furthermore, the system supports precision agriculture practices by enabling more targeted fertilizer and crop protection applications. This approach not only helps to optimize input efficiency but also contributes to maintaining or increasing yield potential under variable environmental stresses such as heat waves, which are becoming more frequent in corn belt and fringe production regions.