By Scout Nelson
The Kansas wheat harvest has passed the halfway mark and is progressing faster than usual. This year may become one of the earliest harvest seasons in recent memory. Dry conditions and late freeze events have played a major role in speeding up crop maturity. However, rainfall in some areas is still causing short delays in harvesting operations.
The wheat crop across the state is largely ready for harvest, but weather conditions remain a challenge. While early progress has been strong, not all results have been positive. Yields have been lowering in many areas due to a combination of environmental stress factors.
“The Soft Red Winter (SRW) wheat we grow was hurt by the March freeze that destroyed all the tillers,” said Jay Armstrong, a farmer from Atchison County. “Our crop averaged 72 bushels per acre; in comparison, we averaged 117 bushels per acre last year.”
Lower yields have been reported when compared to previous seasons, showing the impact of weather extremes. Despite careful planning and input management, the crop did not perform as expected this year.
Producers also noted that while rain during harvest can delay fieldwork, it has provided benefits for other crops. Early harvest completion has allowed timely planting of double crop soybeans, which are already showing early growth.
“The promising thing with the wheat harvest being a week to 10 days earlier than normal is that we were able to finish planting our double crop soybeans right behind the combine,” said Armstrong. “With the rain we got after planting, the beans have already emerged, so hopefully a good double crop will help make up for the disappointing wheat crop.”
Protein levels and test weights in wheat have varied due to rainfall. Some fields have shown acceptable quality, while others have been affected by changing weather conditions.
“Our proteins have varied by fields; I’ve been mostly seeing 12 to 14 percent,” stated Justin Knopf, a Saline County county. “Our test weights have also had some variability due to the rain, ranging from 57 to 63 lbs. Notably, the (Kansas Wheat Alliance) variety KS Mako is where we had our highest test weights, from 61 to 63 lbs.”
Rainfall patterns this year have been unusual. Much of the precipitation arrived during harvest instead of the growing season, limiting crop development.
“Since the start of harvest, we’ve had nearly six inches of rain,” stated Knopf. “From November 1 to May 1, our area received six and a half inches of total precipitation for that entire six-month span. So, we received just about as much rain during harvest as we did during the entire growing season of this wheat crop.”
In southwestern Kansas, some areas have experienced poor yields, leading to crop abandonment.
“There is a lot of 15-bushel wheat out there,” said a grain merchandiser in southwest Kansas. “Guys harvesting 30-bushel wheat feel like they’ve hit a home run.”
Overall, the harvest season shows both progress and challenges, highlighting the strong influence of weather on crop outcomes.
Photo Credit: gettyimages-nicexray
Categories: Kansas, Crops, Soybeans, Wheat, Weather