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Spring field work reaches half-way markMissouri Warm, dry weather finally arrived during the week ending April 22, giving farmers 4.9 days suitable for fieldwork to apply fertilizer and plant corn, according to the National Agricultural Statistics Service, April 23. Spring tillage stands at 54 percent complete, about 9 days behind both last year and the five-year average. Topsoil moisture remains mostly adequate for the state, rated 2 percent very short, 10 percent short, 78 percent adequate, and 10 percent surplus. The exception is the south-central district, where a shortage as been developing with 50 percent of soils short to very short. Freeze damage evaluations still hold little hope for salvaging much of the fruit and nut crops. Damage to wheat is becoming more evident, while pasture and hay growth is still relatively stagnant. Corn planting is 32 percent complete, 10 days behind last year and 9 days behind the normal pace of 70 percent. Dry weather allowed planters to roll statewide later in the week. Significant acreage has been replanted in the west-central, the southwest, and especially the southeast. Three weeks of cold weather and the replanted acreage has not allowed for much emergence, which is estimated at 7 percent, 2 weeks behind last year and 8 days behind the five-year average of 21 percent. Sorghum planting advanced only 1 point to 5 percent complete, 1 week behind last year and 4 days behind normal. Soybean planting has begun, mostly in the Bootheel. The state is 2 percent planted, 3 days behind last year and even with normal. Rice planting progressed 17 points from last week to 24 percent complete, but still lags last year by 11 days and the normal pace by 4 days. Rice emerged is at 4 percent, 6 days behind last year and 2 days behind normal. cotton is 4 percent planted, about 1 week behind last year and 5 days behind average. Nine percent of the winter wheat crop has headed, 4 days behind last year and about even with average. wheat condition is rated 27 percent very poor, 37 percent poor, 30 percent fair, and 6 percent good, a slight deterioration from last week. Damage reports continue to vary from slight to severe, but more are falling toward the moderate to severe end of the spectrum as various types of injury become evident. A reporter in the west-central district explained that even if new or existing tillers produce heads, rotted lower stems could cause severe lodging. Even so, most growers appear to still be waiting for definitive evidence, as few reporters have mentioned fields being destroyed or pastured. Pasture condition is rated 9 percent very poor, 30 percent poor, 42 percent fair, 17 percent good, and 2 percent excellent, similar to last week. Pastures appear to have been set back 2 to 3 weeks, as many are seeing pastures recover much slower than expected. B 10 4/30/07 2 Star EK Date: 4/26/07
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