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Arkansas crops: 58% rice and 56% soybeans rated good to excellent

Tropical Storm Barry brought timely rain to some areas, while causing major flooding damage in others.  According to the USDA’s latest Crop and Weather Report, 58 percent of the rice crop is rated good to excellent and 18 percent of the crop is heading. 

University of Arkansas rice agronomist Jarrod Hardke says the rainfall saved farmers several days of irrigation.  “The biggest concern that we won’t know for a little while is that three consecutive days where we had rain through the middle part of the day while we’re during pollination could be an issue,” he says.  “It could result in some blanking and some potential yield loss.”

Soybeans are rated 56 percent good to excellent with 75 percent blooming and 43 percent setting pods.

Hardke says the recent rains did not benefit the state’s soybean crop.  “We did have some soybean fields and some bottom ends of those fields go underwater for several days – if not longer,” he says.  “We are concerned about stand loss and potential replants in those areas and some whole fields.”

Ninety percent of peanuts are rated good to excellent and 97 percent of the crop is pegging.

Eighty-six percent of the cotton crop is rated good to excellent with 95 percent squaring, and 79 percent is setting bolls.

Fifty-six percent of the crop is rated good to excellent with 97 percent of the crop has silked, 67 percent is in the dough stage, and 34 percent is dented. 

Topsoil moisture is rated 83 percent adequate to surplus and 86 percent of subsoil moisture is rated adequate to surplus.