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Production
Estimates and Crop Assessment Division |
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Production
Estimates and Crop Assessment Division |
September 4, 2002
Showers eased dryness and benefited crops in many parts of the upper Midwest and the South. Corn is in the dent stage. Northwestern Missouri and parts of Ohio are experiencing some problems due to dryness. Soybeans completed podsetting and are beginning to drop leaves. The soybean crop in parts of Ohio and Northwestern Missouri is experiencing some problems due to dryness. Current subsurface soil moisture reserves are generally adequate to sustain crop growth. Drought conditions continue to prevail in parts of Georgia, North and South Carolina, and Virginia. The rice crop has completed heading and is progressing very well. The peanut crop has completed pegging and is generally in good to excellent condition. The peanut crop in Virginia is experiencing problems due to the ongoing drought. Cotton bolls are beginning to open. Some problems due to drought are evident in parts of Virginia, South Carolina, Missouri, and Georgia.
Seasonal precipitation (May 1-August 28, 2002) for the eastern United States shows excess precipitation extending from central Minnesota to the Delta states, the Gulf Coast, and peninsular Florida. Parts of northwestern Missouri and southwestern Iowa are experiencing dryness. The drought in parts of Georgia, South Carolina, North Carolina, and Virginia has spread into Maryland.
Soil moisture (August 26, 2002) analysis for the region shows a deficit developing in parts of southern Illinois and southwestern Indiana. The drought in parts of central Georgia, South Carolina, most of North Carolina, and Virginia has slowly spread into Maryland. Moisture surpluses prevail in Minnesota, Wisconsin, southeastern Missouri, the Delta states, the Gulf Coast, and peninsular Florida.
Satellite derived Normalized Difference Vegetation Index (NDVI) comparison for the period August 16-31 shows that vegetation conditions in parts of southern Illinois and Indiana, southwestern Ohio, Virginia, Maryland, and southern Pennsylvania during 2002 are inferior to those during 2001. Vegetation conditions in Iowa, Minnesota, and Wisconsin are significantly better in 2002 than during 2001. Vegetation conditions in Georgia, North Carolina, and South Carolina are showing signs of improvement from two-weeks ago.
According to NASS, as of August 26, 2002, about 44 percent of the corn crop is at or beyond the dent stage. About 80 percent of the corn crop in northwestern Missouri is reportedly in Very Poor - Poor condition. About 93 percent of the soybean crop is now at or beyond podsetting, with some plants just beginning to drop leaves. The percentage of the soybean crop reported to be in Very Poor - Poor condition is as follows: Ohio (50%), Missouri (43%) and Indiana (29%). Cotton bolls have opened in about 29 percent of the crop. The percentage of cotton crop reported to be in the Very Poor - Poor condition is as follows: South Carolina (38%), Virginia (37%), North Carolina (33%), and Georgia (25%). The bulk of the rice crop has completed the heading stage and is reported to be in excellent condition. The peanut crop is progressing well, with about 76 percent of the peanut crop now reported to be in Good - Excellent condition. About 69 percent of the spring wheat crop has been harvested in Minnesota.
