Vanessa Corriher-Olson, Ph.D., Overton, and Jamie Foster, Ph.D., Beeville, said careful management early in a drought can minimize long-term stand damage and help maintain forage yields when rains do come.

Dryland soybean fields have started to experience heat stress combined with long periods without rainfall. This article reviews potential symptoms of drought and heat stress on soybeans. Producers should scout their fields for signs of stress in order to make timely decisions as the growing season progresses. 

A number of farmers are asking some pretty difficult questions on the value of drought-damaged corn for various uses, including as feed and for soil protection. Previous data collected in Kansas on drought-affected corn used measurements of the plant stand, height, dry matter, and moisture content to estimate biomass production and nutrient uptake/value of the biomass.

In his latest blog entry, Clay Pope writes, "The crazy weather we have always had in the southern great plains really has been shot full of steroids. We must get ready as best we can for what lies ahead!"

>La Nina conditions are still persistent across the Equatorial Pacific and the Climate Prediction Center (CPC) has placed the odds of this event continuing through this upcoming summer (June–August) at 59% and a 50-55% chance that these conditions will persist through this fall (September–October).

Ronnie Schnell, Ph.D., AgriLife Extension agronomist, Bryan-College Station, says actual planted sorghum acres could be above the USDA’s prospective survey report for a variety of reasons, most notably drought and high fertilizer prices.