Glacier FarmMedia – Alberta reported its crops were still in good shape despite temperatures pushing above 30 degrees Celsius and a lack of rain as of July 16. The report put the overall rating for the province’s crops at 74 per cent good to excellent, seven points above the five-year average.
However, some crops were showing signs of stress such as heat blast in canola, flowering prematurely or dropping tillers. The report warned that the continuing heatwave could erode yield projections.
Crop ratings saw the central region drop 15 points at 62 per cent good to excellent, while Peace River dipped one point at 73 per cent. On the plus side, the south gained five points at 82 per cent good to excellent, the north west added nine points at 72 per cent, the north east tacked on one point at 72 per cent.
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Among the cereals province-wide, durum rated 82 per cent good to excellent with spring wheat and barley at 73 per cent and oats at 70.
For the oilseeds, mustard and flax were at 83 per cent good to excellent with the canola at 72 per cent.
As for the pulses, dry beans led at 94 per cent good to excellent, followed by lentils at 82 per cent, dry peas at 79 per cent and chickpeas at 75 per cent.
Alberta’s potatoes rated 84 per cent good to excellent, the tame hay was at 62 per cent, and pastures were 63 per cent.
Moisture levels for the sub-surface soil were 18 per cent poor, 36 per cent fair, 43 per cent good and four per cent excellent.
