April 10 (Reuters) – Wheat futures fell on Wednesday after U.S. Department of Agriculture raised its forcast for global year end stocks, but a blast of wintery weather might hurt U.S. new crop yields and support prices later on.
But weather system also brought snow, rain and hail so for some areas the weather hurt crops and in other areas it helped growing prospects
A portion of the hard red winter wheat crop in Kansas and Oklahoma, two top U.S. producers of the grain, was probably damaged by freezing temperatures, agronomists said on Wednesday.
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“At this stage it is certain that we will have some freeze injury to the majority of the Oklahoma wheat crop, but it will be a good seven to 10 days before we can accurately assess the level of injury,” Oklahoma State University small grains extension specialist Jeff Edwards wrote in a blog post on Wednesday.
Temperatures in Goodland, Kansas, fell to – 9 C on Tuesday and -11 C on Wednesday. That was cold enough to damage wheat that is emerging from dormancy and losing its winter hardiness.
Oklahoma was hit by freezing rain on Wednesday and temperatures were forecast to drop to -3 to -4C.
“Any wheat at the jointing stage or later will probably lose some tillers where temperatures were in the teens for an extended time,” said Jim Shroyer, a crop production specialist with Kansas State University’s extension service.
Tillers are shoots or stems that the wheat plant produces in addition to its main stem, and they typically contribute to yield.
Drought has slowed the development of the Kansas wheat crop, a factor that probably helped limit the damage, Shroyer said.
Twenty-two percent of the Kansas wheat crop had reached the jointing stage of growth by Sunday, the U.S. Department of Agriculture said, compared with the five-year average of 33 percent. In Oklahoma, 59 percent of the wheat was jointing, behind the five-year average of 79 percent.
Wheat in the jointing stage can usually tolerate temperatures three to four degrees below freezing with no significant injury. But if temperatures fall to -5 to -7C for several hours, the lower stems, leaves, and developing head can sustain injury.
Wheat not yet in the jointing stage might sustain “cosmetic damage” to its leaves but should escape serious injury, Shroyer said.
Edwards said ice covering many wheat fields in central and north-central Oklahoma might actually protect the crop.
“Ice-covered wheat will remain at approximately 32 F and this might be just warm enough to escape severe injury,” Edwards wrote. “If the ice melts, however, and temps drop into the 20s, even wheat that is just past the jointing stage can be injured,” he said.
Some wheat may be able to compensate for lost tillers if it receives adequate moisture in the coming weeks, Shroyer said. The U.S. Plains has been in the grip of a severe drought for months, although recent storms have brought some improvement.
