Threatened by another year of continued drought, farmers are
relishing the timely relief that recent rains provided most of
Georgia's major row crops. Overall, experts say this is the best
crops have looked in three years.
Weed and disease control are the main issues facing peanut
farmers right now. But that's not necessarily bad, said John
Beasley, an Extension Service agronomist with the University of
Georgia College of Agricultural and Environmental Sciences.
"Anytime those two situations occur early on in the season, it's
indicative of good growing conditions (for the crop)," Beasley
said.
Disease, Weeds Sign
of Rain
Disease pressure early in the season means the crop is getting
wet with rain, something farmers haven't had in great supply over
the
past few years, he said.
"The past week to 10 days, we've gotten a lot of rain," Beasley
said. "That has certainly helped growing conditions
considerably."
According to the Georgia Agricultural Statistics Service, 96
percent of the peanut crop is in good to excellent condition.
Not every acre has had above-normal rainfall. But a good portion
of the peanut belt has gotten adequate to above-adequate rain.
The eastern part of the state hasn't had as much as the middle
and southwestern parts.
Most of the peanut crop was planted in mid-May. But early-season
dry weather forced some farmers to plant their crop later than
normal. Most of the crop, though, is growing at a good pace, he
said.
"Right now, we're in better shape than we were at this time last
year," he said.
The rain has helped the crop recover from the earlier dry
conditions. But in a few weeks, most of the peanut crop will have
reached a stage of growth that requires the highest amount of
water. Then, fields will need about 2 inches of water each
week.
Good for Corn, Bad
for Wheat
Overall, the corn crop is the best farmers have seen in the
past three years, particularly for dryland farmers, said Dewey
Lee, a UGA Extension Service grains scientist.
Georgia's corn crop was planted late because of heavy rainfall in
March. Despite the setback, the crop has grown at a steady pace,
Lee said.
The dryland crop was hurt by dry weather April and May, but
irrigated corn is in good shape, he said. About 94 percent of the
corn crop is in good to excellent condition.
Because corn was planted late, the recent rain has fallen at a
critical growth stage, Lee said.
"This rain has come at a time when the crop is about ready to go
through its reproductive stage of tasseling and silking," Lee
said.
Some corn is in the early stages of kernel development, a time
when the corn plant needs extra water, he said. "This has been a
most timely rain."
Corn harvest will start in August.
Wheat farmers aren't as happy with the rain. Heavy rain has
interrupted the last part of the harvest and has reduced the
quality of the crop left in fields, Lee said.
Other Georgia crops, though, have benefitted from timely rain.
About 94 percent of the cotton and tobacco and 95 percent of the
pecan crop are in good to excellent condition.
Many farmers hope the rain their crops didn't use will find a way
to streams, ponds and groundwater to be used later in the season
for irrigation, Beasley said.
Published on 06/19/01
Rains Benefit Georgia Row Crops
Brad Haire is the former news editor with the University of Georgia College of Agricultural and Environmental Sciences.
Experts/Sources:
CAES News
Volunteers uplift statewide UGA Extension outreach programs
04/22/24 Sheri Dorn, Keri Gandy Hobbs
University of Georgia Cooperative Extension depends on thousands of volunteers who give generously to extend program impact and reach in support Extension missions. During Volunteer Appreciation Week April 21-28, UGA Extension celebrates the many volunteers who donate their time to facilitate 4-H, Master Gardener and Family and Consumer Sciences programming. Volunteers across Extension contributed over 324,200 hours in 2023, the equivalent of more than 155 full-time employees.
CAES News
CAES to celebrate new graduates during May 9 convocation
04/18/24 Sameeka Prabath Rajamani
As another academic year draws to a close, the University of Georgia College of Agricultural and Environmental Sciences is gearing up for its Athens campus convocation ceremony, which will be held at 6 p.m. on Thursday, May 9, at The Classic Center in Athens. “Each year, it’s an honor to celebrate the success of our CAES graduates,” said CAES Dean and Director Nick T. Place. “It’s amazing what these students accomplish during their time with us, and I’m always excited to commemorate this next step in their lives as they continue on to either further studies or the start of their careers.”
CAES News
UGA horticulture class shows students the science behind herbal remedies
04/16/24 Sameeka Prabath Rajamani
The field of medicine is ever-changing, and the use of herbal medicines may play a bigger role in health care as the value of natural remedies gain recognition in the Western world. Students at the University of Georgia’s College of Agricultural and Environmental Sciences are delving into the field of medicinal remedies through the class “Herbs, Spices and Medicinal Plants.” Offered to undergraduate students through the Department of Horticulture, the class helps students develop a deeper understanding of the connection between nature and health.
CAES News
Using robotics to help sort onions on Georgia farms
04/15/24 David Mitchell
During the pandemic, labor problems became acute on many farms in Georgia and across the country. Farms once staffed by humans to bring produce from the field to stores for purchase were suddenly short-staffed, and the global supply chain was severely impacted. Working with UGA’s Vidalia Onion and Vegetable Research Center and A&M Farms in Lyons, Georgia, a team of researchers led by School of Computing Professor Prashant Doshi is designing collaborative robots to mitigate some of these potential challenges.
CAES News
Innovator, educator inducted into the Georgia Agricultural Hall of Fame
04/11/24 Maria M. Lameiras
An innovator in peanut breeding whose research revitalized an industry and an ardent champion of agricultural education were inducted into the Georgia Agricultural Hall of Fame at the 68th University of Georgia College of Agricultural and Environmental Sciences Alumni Association Awards in Athens. The 2024 honorees are William D. Branch, Georgia Seed Development Professor in Peanut Breeding and Genetics in the Department of Crop and Soil Sciences, and Elzie Argene Claxton, an agriculture educator and 1980 CAES agricultural education graduate.
CAES News
Growers hopeful 2024 peach season will rebound from disastrous 2023
04/10/24 Emily Cabrera
Last year, the peach industry lost $60 million due to the late freeze that hit much of the Southeast in mid-March 2023, said Jeff Cook, University of Georgia Cooperative Extension agent for Peach and Taylor counties. With no freezing temperatures in the forecast and hope for strong pricing during the upcoming season, peach growers are looking forward to a much-needed rebound year.