The weather is turning seasonally dry as some concerns are being expressed in major cotton and soybean areas about proper development. However, at week’s end, topsoil moisture supplies were rated 57 percent adequate or surplus, a level much better than the 29 percent five-year average and last year’s 44 percent.
“Dry weather and warmer temperature have soybeans and pasture land under intense stress. Corn harvest continues. Some excellent dry-land corn yields have been reported, as well as some complete disasters. A small acreage of early maturing soybeans was harvested this week with good yields reported,” Weakley County Ag Extension Agent Jeff Lannom said.
A good general rain throughout the state is needed to maintain or improve the cotton and soybean crops from their current standing of fair-to-good condition.
The corn for grain harvest picked-up momentum and was proceeding at a pace just shy of two weeks ahead of normal.
Pastures look good, but armyworms are reported to be a problem. Topping tobacco is about complete and harvest lags slightly behind schedule.    
There were 6.5 days suitable for fieldwork last week. Temperatures and precipitation averaged below normal across the state last week.

WCP 8.30.12