Thirsty Iowa Crops Struggle to Develop Due to Dry Conditions
A very dry July has slowed Iowa crop production following a wet spring
According to a Des Moines Register post, July’s early warm, dry weather allowed Iowa’s crops to continue to develop; however, after the third straight week of dry conditions, thirsty crops have resulted in slowing crop development.
The week ending July 21 marked the third straight week of below average rainfall in Iowa, causing soil moisture levels to decline, leaving crops in need of additional moisture. Across the state, 43% of topsoil was rated in the adequate or surplus categories, a decline from 55% the previous week. Additionally, 66% of subsoil was in the adequate and surplus categories, down 18% points from a week ago.
The dry weather has had significant impact. Just 35% of the state’s corn has been tasseled, well behind last year’s 95% mark at this point. Just 18% of corn is silking as well, down significantly compared to last year’s mark of 87%, leaving overall corn development about 10 days behind the normal pace. Soybean progress has also slowed, as 36% of the soybean crop was blooming, behind last year’s 83% and the five-year average of 70%.
KCRG-TV9 Meteorologist Kaj O’Mara commented on July’s dry conditions and the effects on crops in a recent article from The Gazette. “We need about an inch of rain per week through September to get through the tasseling process. The record wet spring was nice in a way, but it caused the roots to be nice and shallow. Now, the roots are having to dig to find water with the dried out topsoil. With only one chance for rain between now and July 31, which probably won’t amount to much, we could easily have 30 percent of our average rain for the month.”
After a surplus of spring rain across much of the state, Iowa’s crops are suddenly finding themselves searching for moisture, as a very dry July has saturated top and subsoil levels, according to the Des Moines Register.