Lucas Mohn, the agronomy manager at Northwood Equity Elevator in northeastern North Dakota, oversees a territory characterized by varying cereal grain crop conditions due to timing and the presence of timely rains during a hot, dry June.
Having joined as an agronomist in 2021 after graduating from North Dakota State University with a crop and weed science degree, Mohn works with around 30 farmers in the Northwood area, including parts of Grand Forks, Nelson, Traill, and Steele counties. Throughout much of the growing season, this region has been designated as abnormally dry according to the U.S. Drought Monitor.
The planting of spring wheat extended from the second week of May until the end of May, leading to a wide range of crop conditions. The hot and dry conditions in June affected the crops differently depending on their growth stage and access to timely rains.
While the dry weather posed challenges with many tillers getting burnt up, it also brought a silver lining by keeping disease pressure, such as scab and rust, at bay. Insect pressure emerged as wheat was heading out but was addressed with an insecticide application along with fungicides.
As per the Crop Progress report by the U.S. Department of Agriculture on July 24, North Dakota's spring wheat crop had 92% of its heading out, in line with the five-year average. The crop's condition was rated at 54% good to excellent, 28% fair, 12% poor, and 6% very poor.
Looking at a field of Westbred 9590 spring wheat near the Northwood Golf Course on July 24, Mohn observed a mix of green and amber color, suggesting varying levels of maturity.
He expects the harvest season to be long, from early August to September, like the planting season. Yields will vary based on rainfall and crop stage during hot weather. Some areas with enough rain may have slightly better yields, while the driest places could have lower yields.
Categories: North Dakota, Crops, Weather