Weather a boost as crops maturing

Near-perfect weather conditions are giving farmers a break as corn, soybeans and sorghum continue to lag behind in maturity, according to the weekly Nebraska Weather and Crop report.

Cool overnight temperatures prevailed Tuesday as the thermometer dipped to the upper 30s in many locations that morning. Grand Island had a low of 39 and Ord had a low of 37, according to the National Weather Service in Hastings.

But ideal fall conditions will continue through Sunday, with sunny weather and highs in the low to mid-70s and lows in the 40s. A chance of rain comes into the forecast Sunday, but highs will continue to be in the 70s with lows in the 40s.

According to the National Weather Service, the first day last year when Grand Island's temperature was 32 degrees or lower was Oct. 26. The average date for 32 degrees or lower is Oct. 8, with Oct. 15 the average for 28 degrees or lower.

The Nebraska Weather and Crop report said for the week ending Sept. 28, corn conditions were rated 75 percent good or excellent, below last year's 80 percent good or excellent rating. Both irrigated and dryland fields are behind last year's 80 percent and 66 percent good or excellent rating, respectively.

The rub, though, according to the report, and the reason a spell of good weather is a must, is that corn maturity was rated 43 percent, well behind last year's 80 percent and 10 days behind the 74-percent average.

That lack of maturity is also the reason only 4 percent of the state's corn crop has been harvested, compared to 15 percent last year and the five-year average of 11 percent.

Soybean conditions, according to the report, were rated 67 percent good or excellent, compared to 82 percent last year at this time. Soybean harvest was 6 percent completed, behind last year's 10 percent and the five-year average of 17 percent.

Sorghum conditions were rated 72 percent good or excellent, compared to 82 percent last year. Only 15 percent of the sorghum was rated mature, compared to 66 percent a year ago and 13 days behind the 60-percent average.

State wheat farmers, according to the report, have seeded 70 percent of their fields, compared to 73 percent last year and the average of 75 percent.

On Tuesday, the USDA's National Agricultural Statistics Service, Nebraska Field Office, reported that the final 2008 estimate for Nebraska wheat production totaled 73.5 million bushels, 13 percent below last year's crop but 20 percent above two years ago. 

Average yield in Nebraska is estimated at 44 bushels per acre, unchanged from the August forecast but 1 bushel above last year. 

Area harvested for grain, at 1.67 million acres, is 30,000 acres below the August forecast and 290,000 less than last year.

Oat production in Nebraska during 2008 totaled 2.45 million bushels, 3 percent above the 2007 crop. 

Planted acreage, at 95,000, is down 21 percent from 2007.  Harvested acreage for grain, at 35,000, is unchanged from the level set a year ago. Yield, at 70 bushels per acre, is up  two bushels from last year.