The 2010 harvest will soon be underway. The majority of the corn crop has been harvested, with cotton defoliation right around the corner. It won’t be long before you will be seeing cotton module trucks and peanut trailers headed down the road. With the days getting shorter, it will be getting dark a lot earlier; this can create an added safety hazard while on the road. Please be patient while driving behind a trailer or module truck, it is worth the wait!

Corn

Even though the majority of the Jenkins County’s corn crop is irrigated, the intense heat of June and July took somewhat of a toll on our corn crop. As temperatures rise over 95 degrees, pollination of corn can decrease. That is why you see a small portion on the edge of the cob that is missing seed positions. Having said that, the majority of corn still produced over 200 bushels, which is still strong. The few acres of dryland corn will average 50-75 bushels.

Cotton

The cotton crop was able to withstand the intense heat better than corn. However, it appears the intense heat will accelerate cotton boll maturity by at least two weeks. The irrigated and dryland will produce slightly above average yields. As an average, the dryland crop will produce approximately 750-850 lbs./ acre, with irrigated over 1,000 lbs./acre. The rains have been extremely sporadic; some areas have had excellent summer rainfall, and others have suffered dramatically. Again, harvest will be accelerated this year.

Peanuts The jury is still out on peanuts, as September is a critical month. The crop as a whole has excellent potential to make above average yields. If we get timely rains in September to fill the crop, then I feel the average dryland yield will be approximately 3,100- 3,400 lbs/acre. If September remains dry, then 500 lbs. could be shaved off this estimate. The irrigated yield should average a strong 4,000-4,500 lbs. /acre. Growers have been experiencing increased disease pressure, specifically white mold. It is very important to stay on your spray schedule. Fungicide application s should not be terminated until harvest is two weeks away.

Soybeans

The soybean crop in Jenkins County is at very important crossroads. The month of September is a very critical month for soybean production. We must have some rain the first three weeks of this month to make a crop. As of this writing, we have a decent bush, blooms, and pod-set. If we get timely rains, the dryland soybean crop will average 25-35 bushels/acre. We will just have to wait and see what Mother Nature brings us.

As the growing season winds down, we are blessed to have the crop potential we have. While we don’t know if we will have any record-breaking yields, I have seen a lot worse. As I travel, there are many areas of the state suffering far worse than us. Let’s all look forward to a speedy and safe harvest!

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