Blizzard conditions and heavy snow swept western Kansas, including 14 to 20 inches in Colby in the northwestern quadrant of the No. 1 winter wheat state in the nation, said the Weather Channel. “We lost the western Kansas wheat crop this weekend. Just terrible,” tweeted Justin Gilpin, chief executive of the grower-funded Kansas Wheat Commission.
The snow and freezing weather struck a winter wheat crop that was developing faster than usual, thanks to a mild winter. As a result, the crop was more vulnerable to spring snowfalls and frost. “Generally, temps below 32°F. for a minimum of about two hours will cause damage to the crop,” says the Kansas Wheat Commission. “Freeze injury during heading and flowering stages can cause severe yield consequences.” A quarter of the wheat crop was headed as of April 23, compared with the five-year average of 17%.
“Most of @KansasWheat country shut down and no power. Devastating conditions,” Gilpin tweeted on Sunday afternoon. Some comments on Twitter were more hopeful: “Don’t give up yet,” said one, and, “Much-needed moisture but wheat will be flat on the ground when the snow melts.”
Kansas grew 1 of every 5 bushels of U.S. wheat last year, 467 million of the 2.31 billion bushels nationwide. Its farmers specialize in winter wheat, which is planted in the fall, goes dormant during the winter, and sprouts again in the spring. Winter wheat accounts for two thirds, or more, of the U.S. crop each year...
Read more at:
http://www.agriculture.com/news/crops/we-lost-the-western-kansas-wheat-crop-this-weekend
