Almost all Saskatchewan producers have completed their seeding operations, and now they’re looking for moisture to replenish the topsoil.

Rain fell in many areas of the province over the last week, with the southeast and east-central regions receiving the highest amounts. The Calder area reported the highest rainfall amount at 36 millimetres (mm) followed by the Stockholm area at 35 mm and the Rocanville area at 34 mm.

Regions that did not receive significant amounts of precipitation have noted that rainfall is needed soon to avoid serious crop damage.

The latest drought monitor map from Agriculture and Agri-Food Canada shows an area of extreme drought covering much of northeast and north-central Saskatchewan. It is also dry in most other parts of the province except for the southeast.

The Global Institute for Water Security at the University of Saskatchewan monitors surface soil moisture conditions about 40 kilometres east of Saskatoon. It says shallow topsoil moisture has not been this low in the past 11 years of measurement.

With sporadic rain across the province, moisture conditions overall remained at similar levels as last week and some areas continued to see a decline.

Cropland topsoil moisture is rated as two per cent surplus, 44 per cent adequate, 42 per cent short and 12 per cent very short.

Hayland topsoil moisture is reported at 38 per cent adequate, 41 per cent short and 21 per cent very short. Pasture topsoil moisture is 29 per cent adequate, 45 per cent short and 26 per cent very short.

There are varying stages of crop development, with 13 per cent of winter cereals in the tillering stage, 20 per cent at stem elongation, 26 per cent at flag leaf, 36 per cent are heading, and five per cent are in the dough stage.

Nine per cent of spring cereals are at the pre-emergent stage, with 47 per cent at the seedling stage, 38 per cent are tillering, and six per cent are in the stem elongation stage.

For pulse crops, eight per cent are at the pre-emergent stage, with 48 per cent at the seedling stage and 44 per cent reported at the vegetative stage of development.

Eighteen per cent of canola and mustard are at the pre-emergent stage, with 67 per cent at the seedling stage and 15 per cent at the rosette stage.

Eighteen per cent of the flax is at the pre-emergent stage, with 68 per cent at the seedling stage and 14 per cent starting stem elongation.

Damage overall was reported as minor to moderate. In addition to damage caused by hot, dry and windy conditions, producers also note that some minor damage was being caused by frost and wildlife in many regions of the province. Flea beetles, grasshoppers, cutworms and pea leaf weevils continue to cause crop damage throughout many regions, with some areas reporting minor to moderate crop damage.

As producers have mostly wrapped up seeding, they are moving on to applying in-crop herbicides when weather conditions allow.

Source - https://farmnewsnow.com