WINNIPEG, May 12 (CNS) – Rain came as a welcome relief to parched regions of Manitoba over the weekend. Seeding operations are estimated to be 95 to 100 percent complete in most regions, according to the latest crop report from the provincial government.
One notable exception is The Pas, where soggy fields have kept farmers at bay. Just 15 percent of that area is finished seeding for the week ended June 12.
The rest of the northwest region is nearly finished planting with 100 percent of canola now in the ground. Strong winds and rain made spraying difficult but farmers are making steady progress.
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Diamondback moths and cutworms have been spotted in the Swan River area.
Seeding of soybeans is complete with 75 percent of the crop in the vegetative stage; field peas and lentils are planted and generally in the vegetative stage, according to the report.
In the southwest region, 15 to 35 millimetres of rain was recorded near the TransCanada Highway but just a few millimetres fell north of that.
The report says winds registering as fast as 146 km per hour damaged trees and infrastructure in the region.
Winter cereals have entered the reproductive stage with most of the fall rye heading, according to the report.
The central region also saw high winds along with hot temperatures. Much of the topsoil is still dried out despite receiving 5 to 15 mm of rain. A few regions received heavy thundershower activity and some reseeding could be necessary.
The majority of cereals are growing well, with most cereal crops at the 4 to 6 leaf stage and tillering, according to the report.
Varying amounts of rain were felt across the eastern region. Soil moisture conditions on cropland across the region were rated as 85 percent adequate to 15 percent short, according to the report. Dry soil conditions are becoming a problem and possibly setting the stage for grasshopper infestations later this summer. Spring cereals are in the 5 to 6 leaf stage, the report said.
The Interlake region has decent topsoil moisture in some locations but could still do with more rain in many areas. In the northern portion of the Interlake, crops are less advanced with cereals at the 2 to 5 leaf stage with 1 to 2 tillers. In the south, cereal are closer to the 4 to 6 leaf stage. A few canola fields are reportedly starting to cabbage out.
