The dry conditions from the lack of rain across Indiana has been a concern for many Indiana farmers for the past several weeks.
“We’re definitely on the cusp of some problems if the rain does not materialize here shortly,” says Hoosier Ag Today’s Chief Meteorologist Ryan Martin.
The latest U.S. Drought Monitor map for Indiana shows 91 of 92 counties experiencing “abnormally dry” conditions throughout all or part of their counties—while 28 of Indiana’s counties are experiencing a moderate drought. However, Martin says there is a chance for rain late Sunday afternoon and evening into the early morning hours of Monday.
“At this point, I’m tagging it as only about a quarter to maybe three quarters of an inch,” according to Martin. “My fear is that most of us are going to be lucky if we pick up a half an inch. That will not last very long in the dry conditions that we have specially with temperatures ramping back up as we move through the first part of next week.”
He says it may still be a little too soon to hit the proverbial panic button.
“There’s nothing to be concerned about right now as of today,” says Martin. “Where the concern comes in is if we miss or get to the low end of moisture on Sunday and then nothing comes together next Thursday, then we have to be concerned. Agronomically speaking, we’re getting to the point where we start to deal with ear girth on corn as we start moving through some of these growth stages and it’s going to be a problem for down the line.”
Martin says a continued lack of moisture could negatively impact corn yields at harvest.
“We’re probably sitting at 95-to-99 percent of corn yield capacity that is still there right now,” according to Martin. “If we miss the rain Sunday and do not get anything to back it up next Thursday, I think you start to see it agronomists talking about those that potentials dropping sooner rather than later.”
Martin adds that the dry conditions are also impacting the decisions of Indiana’s farmers to replant corn and soybeans.
“I’m actually hearing several folks tell me that they’re going to wait to make the final decision on replanting or even doing further sidedress applications on corn until we see whether the rain materializes or not. It’s just that the decision-making needs to be put off because of the crop and soil conditions.”
According to the U.S. Drought Monitor, 96.7 percent of Indiana is rated ‘abnormally dry’ while 21.7 percent of the state is under a ‘moderate drought’.
Click below to hear C.J. Miller and Ryan Martin’s radio news report for Hoosier Ag Today.
Click here for Ryan Martin’s Indiana Farm Forecast.
