Kansas wheat producers are facing one of the more difficult growing seasons in recent years as drought, freeze damage and disease pressure take their toll on crops across the state.
Tour findings
During last week’s Kansas Wheat Quality Council Tour, around 60 participants traveled six routes across the state, stopping at nearly 200 wheat fields from Manhattan to Colby to assess crop conditions and yield potential, according to Kansas State University wheat production specialist Romulo Lollato and agronomist Jeanne Falk Jones.
The growing season began with favorable fall moisture before weather extremes created significant challenges.
“Things started out well in the fall for the most part with decent moisture,” Falk Jones said. “Then we saw extremely warm temperatures starting early in January and February, followed by frost events, so it has been a challenge for the crop as a whole.”
Drought and disease impact
Some areas of the state have received less than one inch of precipitation since the beginning of the year. Drought stress contributed to increased crown rot observed across parts of the state, while wheat curl mite was also identified during field evaluations.
Farmers near Hoisington described this season’s wheat as the shortest crop they had seen since they began farming. Several tour participants anticipated some wheat fields may ultimately be abandoned, while some producers shared that insurance adjusters were already scheduled to evaluate fields this week.
Despite ongoing challenges, agronomists noted that precipitation in the near future could still help portions of the Kansas wheat crop.
