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Agronomy
Crop report: Manitoba harvest remains behind, heavy rains cause lodging in Saskatchewan
September 6, 2022 By Top Crop Manager
Harvest is underway across the Prairies, but some provinces are dealing with different challenges.
Manitoba
As of Sept. 6, Manitoba remains is significantly behind its previously established standard for harvest, with 15 per cent completed compared to 51 per cent in a typical year. This is caused primarily by delayed seeding, high humidity and frequent rains. However, this past week boasted ideal harvest conditions, allowing for significant progress. Winter wheat and fall rye remain the most advanced crops in terms of harvesting progress, at 98 per cent each. Field pea has also crossed the 50 per cent mark at 55 per cent. Spring wheat harvest, currently at 31 per cent, is expected to accelerate later this week as crops dry down allowing for advancements in regions like southwest and Interlake. So far, spring wheat is showing moderately higher fusarium damaged kernels than recent year due to wetter conditions, but low DON levels.
Crop conditions look good to very good in most parts of the province, while the bulk of the crops have been desiccated. However, lodged crops due to recent isolated heavy rain and wind events in some regions have disrupted smooth harvest operations in peas and some cereals.
For pulses, grasshoppers are finding their way back into green soybeans after nearby cereal crops are cut in the Dauphin area, and aphid populations are rising in Portage la Prairie-area soybeans. In other areas, there is less insect pressure as crops mature.
A limited start to soil testing has begun in fields already harvested. | READ MORE
Saskatchewan
Harvest is progressing well in Saskatchewan. As of the week ending Aug. 29, harvest progress is at 23 per cent, up from 16 per cent last week and just behind the five-year average of 26 per cent. The southwest and west-central regions are the furthest advanced in their operations, with some producers close to finishing. Southwest sits at 67 per cent combined and west-central at 36 per cent. For crop-specific progress, much like its neighbours to the east, Saskatchewan has seen significant progress in fall rye (72 per cent), winter wheat (71 per cent) and peas (66 per cent). However, lentils lead the charge, with 74 per cent harvested.
Moisture remains a challenge for some areas. Most areas in the southwest and west-central received very minimal amounts of rain during the week, while the other regions received enough heavy rain to lodge crops and further delay harvest. The Lake Lenore area received 92 mm, the Tisdale area 75 mm, the Foam Lake area 35 mm, the Mossbank area 23 mm and the Shaunavon area 10 mm. Rain will further delay crop maturity in areas where the crop is still very green. Cropland topsoil moisture is rated as two per cent surplus, 55 per cent adequate, 15 per cent short and 18 per cent very short. Most crop damage this past week was due to heavy rain, minor hail, strong winds and insects. The lodged crops could see quality downgrading and possible yield loss. Additionally, there have been some reports of grain samples being denied at the elevator due to samples containing grasshoppers. | READ MORE
Alberta
As of July, Alberta’s crop reports are now released every other week. Last week’s report covered the two-week period ended Aug. 23. Last week’s report indicated above-average yield expectations and growing conditions, but rapidly decreasing soil moisture is rapidly decreasing. | READ MORE
