Kentucky Ag Connection - Disease, Pest Pressure in Kentucky Fruit and Vegetable Crops

Kentucky Ag News Headlines

Disease, Pest Pressure in Kentucky Fruit and Vegetable Crops
Kentucky Ag Connection - 06/20/2017

Kentucky experienced above normal temperatures and rainfall over the past week. Precipitation for the week totaled 1.41 inches, 0.40 inches above normal. Temperatures averaged 77 degrees for the week, 4 degrees above normal. Topsoil moisture was rated 1 percent very short, 10 percent short, 81 percent adequate and 8 percent surplus. Subsoil moisture was rated 1 percent very short, 10 percent short, 83 percent adequate, and 6 percent surplus. Days suitable for fieldwork averaged 5.2 out of a possible seven.

Primary activities this week including harvesting wheat, cutting hay, planting soybeans and tobacco, and scouting crops. Spotty showers and rainfall events led to some reports of local flooding in low-lying fields and delayed fieldwork periodically. Precipitation has helped to green-up pastures and hay fields. The first cutting of hay is finishing up in most areas. The average height of emerged corn was 38 inches, compared to 37 inches last year. The average height of tobacco in the field was 10 inches, compared to 9 inches last year.

Some disease and insect pressure has been reported in fruit and vegetable crops. Livestock heat stress was of concern this week due to high temperatures and humidity.

Other Kentucky Headlines