Extreme Heat and Reduced Rainfall Reduces Saskatchewan Crop Quality

Saskatchewan Agriculture reports extreme heat over the past week has reduced crop quality and is threatening yield potential. Saskatchewan Agriculture released its weekly crop report Thursday for the period July 16 to 22.

Meghan Rosso, a Crops Extension Specialist with Saskatchewan Agriculture, says another hot and dry week has many producers concerned about their crops, especially in the southern and western portions of the province.

Quote-Meghan Rosso-Saskatchewan Agriculture:

Multiple extremely hot days during the critical flowering stage of many crops has likely lowered yield potential in some areas of the province.Producers are hopeful they may receive rain soon as harvest is fast approaching. There are a few reports that crops in the driest areas of the province, mostly early seeded pulses and cereals, are close to being ready for harvest. The persistent high temperatures and lack of rainfall continue to push topsoil moisture backwards in the province.

Minor rainfall was received throughout the province over the past week.Crop conditions are moving from previously widespread good condition to most crops falling into fair to good condition currently.The lowest rated crops are coming from the southwest, west central and parts of the southeast region where conditions are drier.

If the heat persists crops will continue to decline and yield potential will fall in many regions of the province.However, producers are reporting that conditions are better at this time as compared to recent years.The heat, dry conditions, gophers, grasshoppers and aphids were the most reported sources of crop damage over the past week.Canola is especially sensitive to heat blasting while flowering and producers are concerned about how their crops will fare during the extensive extreme heat we've had. Cereals also appear to have been significantly affected by the extreme heat as well.

Rosso says producers whose crops are furthest along are beginning to get their equipment ready for harvest and are reminded to use every precaution available for fire prevention as the extremely dry conditions increase the risk of combine and grass fires and to be safe during harvest operations.
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