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Heat causes Kansas crop conditions to decline slightly

Heat has stressed some of the Kansas corn crop. 

Jim Sipes, who farms in the southwest part of the state, says despite the heat, moisture has been timely.

“Last August we had a lot of 100 degree days and a lot of wind with it and even though we had a lot of rain last summer, our crop just slashed and died in about three days. This year, we’re holding on,” he says.

According to USDA’s weekly report, corn is rated 47% good to excellent in the state, with 92% of the crop silking, 70% in the dough stage and 10% dented. Sipes says his sorghum looks good.

“We have good stand establishment. We have good stands, good weed control, we’ve had adequate moisture,” he says. “We could see a bumper crop on our farm for grain sorghum. Not everybody in the area is going to experience the same thing because it depends on whether you’ve had the right rains in the last week of July or not.”

Sorghum is rated 45% good to excellent, down slightly from a week ago, with 58% of the crop headed and 10% coloring.

Soybean conditions are 59% good to excellent, with 77% of the crop blooming and 41% setting pods.

Photo credit: Jim Sipes (Grain sorghum starting to head in southwest Kansas.)