Manitoba Crops Advancing, but Excess Moisture Stress Grows

Frequent rainfall, thunderstorms and severe weather continued to shape crop development across Manitoba over the past week, with many areas receiving additional moisture on top of already saturated conditions, according to the latest provincial crop report on Tuesday. 

Rainfall was highly variable, with weekly accumulations ranging from 9 mm at Sprague to 188 mm near Boissevain. The heaviest totals were reported in the Southwest around Boissevain and Souris, and in already waterlogged parts of the Northwest, including San Clara, Ethelbert, Dauphin, Minnedosa and Russell. Hail, strong winds, intense rain and possible tornadoes were reported across much of the province, while a tornado was confirmed in Winnipeg’s Whyte Ridge neighbourhood on June 29. 

The continued wet pattern has pushed seasonal rainfall above normal across much of Manitoba. Since May 1, the Northwest and Interlake have accumulated around 220 mm of precipitation, with parts of the Northwest receiving more than 200% of normal. Portions of the Central and Southwest regions are also above normal following recent rainfall, although some localized areas in the Central and Eastern regions remain below 80% of average. 

Despite the wet conditions, crops continue to advance. Winter wheat and fall rye are flowering and generally show strong yield potential, with many fungicide applications already complete. Spring cereals are mostly between tillering and stem elongation, with the earliest fields reaching early heading. Growers are shifting attention to fusarium head blight risk, while suspected tan spot and other cereal disease symptoms are being monitored. 

Canola is moving quickly and ranges from the six-leaf stage to flowering, with the most advanced fields at 40% to 50% bloom. Soybeans are at the third to fourth trifoliate stage and are beginning to recover from yellowing caused by excess water. Peas are progressing well, with many fields at canopy closure and moving from the 10- to 12-node stage into early flowering. 

Southwest 

• The Southwest remained very wet after weekend storms, with many areas south of Highway 1 receiving 2 to 7 inches of rain on top of heavy rainfall from the previous week.  

• Some crops are fully or partially submerged, and while much of the region still has good crop potential if fields dry out soon, flooded acres are unlikely to recover.  

• Significant hail was reported near Cromer, Dand, Boissevain, Killarney, Wawanesa and north of Hartney, with golf ball-sized hail at Boissevain and baseball-sized hail at Killarney.  

• Winter wheat and fall rye are headed and continue to look good, with low disease pressure so far, while spring cereals are at flag leaf to early heading.  

• Peas are filling in and just beginning to flower, soybeans are at V3 to early flowering and generally handling the wet conditions, although some iron deficiency chlorosis is appearing.  

• Canola ranges from full cabbage to early bolting, with the earliest fields nearing 30% flowering; fungicide timing is becoming important and cabbage seedpod weevil numbers are higher in the south.  

Northwest 

• The Northwest was hit by another intense rain event, with heavy rainfall overwhelming drains, ditches and rivers and causing widespread overland flooding.  

• The Swan Valley was affected for a second time, and although water levels have receded, many fields remain flooded and damage assessments are ongoing.  

• Infrastructure damage is significant, with previous repairs washed out again and some roads and fields difficult or impossible to access.  

• Herbicide timing has been disrupted, with some fields treated on time but many others missing application windows because of wet fields, rain and high winds.  

• Fall rye and winter wheat are headed and moving toward flowering, while spring cereals range from tillering to flag leaf and are showing stress in wetter areas.  

• Peas remain mostly vegetative, with the most advanced fields at R1, while canola ranges from four-leaf to early flower and some wet fields are thin or stress bolting.  

Central 

• Localized storms continued across the Central region, with all areas receiving rain but amounts varying widely.  

• In-crop herbicide applications are mostly complete as crops near canopy closure, and producers are shifting attention to fungicides and insect monitoring.  

• Wet field conditions have increased reliance on aerial applicators, especially for fungicide applications.  

• Corn is progressing quickly at V6 to V8 and generally looks healthy, while soybeans are mostly near R1 and have accelerated with warmer temperatures.  

• Peas are flowering or close to flowering, fall rye is at soft dough and winter wheat is in late anthesis, with many fungicide applications already complete.  

• Canola is developing rapidly from bolting to 50% flowering, with sclerotinia spraying underway and cabbage seedpod weevil scouting showing high numbers in some early flowering fields.  

Eastern 

• Rainfall ranged from 9.3 mm to 93.7 mm, leaving fields wet as showers continued to move through the region.  

• Producers are hoping for several drying days before wheat and canola fungicide applications get fully underway.  

• Wheat has moved into anthesis and looks very good in most fields, although crop loss has occurred in some field drain areas.  

• Fall rye is at soft dough and also looks good, while most corn is at V7 to V8 and has benefited from warmer temperatures.  

• Canola ranges from bolting to 50% flower because of the long spring seeding window, with many producers planning sclerotinia fungicide applications.  

• Soybeans are at first flower, with many fields yellowed by excess water but beginning to grow out of stress; sunflowers remain delayed by wet conditions but mostly look good.  

Interlake 

• Significant rainfall left many Interlake fields saturated, with flooding in low-lying areas, especially across the South Interlake.  

• Wet, cool conditions are delaying herbicide applications, slowing crop development, complicating haying and increasing root disease risk in pulses.  

• Winter wheat and fall rye are beginning to flower and generally have strong stands, although excess moisture and hail damage are causing stress in some fields.  

• Spring cereals are moving through tillering and stem elongation, with some flag leaves visible; crops on drier ground are thriving, while wetter fields are poorer.  

• Corn is at V3 to V5, with excellent stands in some areas but uneven growth and nutrient stress in waterlogged fields.  

• Canola ranges from five-leaf to bolting, with the earliest fields flowering; soybeans are at the second to fourth trifoliate stage, and peas are nearing canopy closure at about the 10-node stage.