Michigan Ag Connection - Michigan Gets 1-8 Inches of Rain, Tornadoes

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Michigan Gets 1-8 Inches of Rain, Tornadoes
Michigan Ag Connection - 08/23/2016

There were 3.6 days suitable for fieldwork in Michigan during the week ending Sunday, according to Marlo Johnson, director of the Great Lakes Regional office of the National Agricultural Statistics Service. The week was marked by heavy rain showers across the State, varying from 1 inch to 8 inches total with lower central Michigan having received the most. Several tornado events were confirmed with potential damage to crops being reported. Overall, topsoil and subsoil moisture had shown improvement, but excess rain caused runoff in some areas. The rain benefited soybeans and sugarbeets yield and quality, and will assist the crops as they near maturity. Some weed pressure in soybeans had continued. The rain also improved grain fill and quality of corn, but yields may suffer due to the preceding dry weather. Most dry beans also responded well to the rain, although some disease and premature yellowing has been reported. Both pasture and hay are back to green and there was a renewed potential for additional cuttings.

Showers and thunderstorms across the State provided much needed relief to most fruit growing areas of the State. Effects from Saturday's tornadoes reported across five counties in the west central region were too early to fully assess. Blueberry growers were finishing harvest of Bluecrop and concentrating on Elliot and Aurora harvest; in the west central region, blueberries harvested for fresh pack was reported to have excellent flavor and quality despite the summer drought and problems associated with the presence of spotted wing Drosophila (SWD) in fields. Bramble harvest continued with fall red raspberries and blackberries; growers continued to monitor fields for fruit rots and SWD. Japanese plum harvest was winding down while European plums were still coloring, with fruit size mostly 1.375 to 1.5 inches in diameter in the east. Several varieties of peaches continued to be harvested across the State; small fruit size was an issue for pickings of Red Haven in the east. Pear fruit were 2.25 inches in diameter; growers in the southwest were putting out boxes in orchards in anticipation of Bartlett harvest. Apple fruit were 2.5 to 2.75 inches in diameter with some reports of fruit 3 inches in diameter; harvest of summer apple varieties continued and some Paula Reds were being spot picked in the east. Clusters of European varieties of grapes were at berry touch while veraison continued in early and larger ripening varieties including Concords.

Processing tomato harvest started in the southeast as weather allowed. In the eastern region peppers and green beans were being harvested. Carrots were continuing to size nicely in Oceana County despite increasing pest pressure. Potato and sweet corn harvest continued in the southwest. Across most of the State conditions continued to be conducive for foliar disease. Downy mildew pressure in vine crops increased as well as late blight risk in potatoes and tomatoes. Growers are encouraged to continue scouting efforts early and often.

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