Winterkill damage is widespread in South Dakota’s winter wheat crop this spring. It was evident in this week’s crop rating with only 33-percent of the crop in good to excellent condition and 27 percent poor to very poor. Agronomist Clair Stymiest of Rapid City says any areas where the crop didn’t have snow cover are a total loss. He estimates as much as 50-percent of the winter wheat planted in South Dakota is damaged.
He says crop insurance adjusters are busy assessing the losses and helping farmers decide on their replant options.
Some farmers will look at seeding spring wheat in the bare spots.
However, where the damage is more severe… Stymiest expects the wheat will be destroyed and planted to another crop such as sunflower, safflower or sorghum. He says those are popular due to their drought tolerance.
Source - http://wnax.com/
