OKLAHOMA CITY (AP)--The dry, windy conditions of the past six weeks have Wheat farmers concerned about their crops.

Mark Hodges, executive director of the state Wheat Commission, said that without soil moisture the crop could be in danger as they reach a critical development stage.

"As a general statement we do need rain across the state. Selective areas are already showing stress down in west and southwest Oklahoma," Hodges said. "At this point, every day we go without a timely rain the more critical it is going to be."

According to the Oklahoma Water Resources Board, the state is only at 1.8 inches of rainfall between March 12 and April 10--1.32 inches below normal. The southwest portion of the state has only .52 inches of rain this year, which is 1.83 inches below normal.

Typically, March, April and May are Oklahoma's wettest months, Hodges said.

"We went the whole month of March with very little rainfall, and now we are in April with little rain, so we are halfway through the largest precipitation months with little rain and moisture," he said. "We could still get timely rains and be in pretty good shape, but we are definitely nervous."

Tim Bartram, executive director of the Oklahoma Wheat Growers Association, agreed that Wheat in the state is starting to show signs of stress and dryness from the lack of rain.

But he said the lack of precipitation has meant a lack of Wheat diseases, which breed in moist conditions.

Date: 4/21/05