Ag Weather Impacts

Ag Weather Impacts

Yesterday, I talked with Andy McGuire, Grant County Washington extension director based in Moses Lake. Grant County Washington is the state leader when it comes to corn production for livestock feed. Andy spoke of the recent warm weather and corn.

Andy: The last few days where it's been very warm will actually help the corn crop. We like to see the corn get out of the ground and get to the six leaf stage quickly. That's when the air temperature becomes more important.

Andy mentioned that corn attains its maximum growth rate at 86 degrees.

Andy: Above that, it's all kind of wasted heat, in terms of crop production.

Soil borne disease and fungal problems affect sweet corn more than feed corn.

Andy: Cool, wet conditions, they're better for the fungus, in general, and they slow down the corn emergence. And so, that's always going to be worse for disease than warm drier conditions. The faster we can get than sweet corn out of the ground, the more it can overcome some of these disease problems.

Wheat has yet to head in Grant County, but much of it is irrigated. It's been a light year for wheat disease.

Andy: And with the hot drier weather, we'll probably see less and less of the stripe rust. Some of the resistance to stripe rust kicks in when we get to the hotter weather too, so that will work for us.

My thanks to WSU extension agent Andy McGuire for giving us an update from Grant County Washington.

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