Peanuts
It has been hot and dry for the last several weeks. Be mindful of the moisture in the fields being planted. For the non-irrigated fields, the soil profile is very dry. The rain we received a week or so ago will not be enough to germinate the seed and allow them to emerge consistently. The seed is too expensive to put in dry soil and hope for rain. Keep the seed in the bag and wait for better conditions. In irrigated fields, it would be good to ensure the soil profile is well-watered prior to planting. Try not to plant in dry, hot soil and irrigate after planting. This could shock the seed and cause uneven emergence. It is always better to irrigate before and after planting when temperatures are high and dry, as they are currently.
Cotton
Thankfully for cotton, we are still early in the planting window. Normally, we get started in mid-April, but I did get some reports during the first week of April of some cotton going in following a rain, just so dryland guys could take advantage of the moisture. Dr. Hand (Camp) had a similar idea and planted about 7 acres of dryland on 4/10. In that situation, he deepened up significantly so the seed was below moisture, and as of the Monday after planting he was looking good, but still had some time to go. All of this to say yes, we can deepen up to avoid hot conditions, or put seed in moisture if there is any, or consider planting larger-seeded varieties, but we are still early in the planting window for cotton, and it is not time to push the panic button yet. Right now, the most critical piece to getting a stand in my mind is watering an irrigated field before you start planting, to ensure you put the seed in good, clean moisture. Then follow up with additional irrigation within a few days of planting. For dryland, have your finger on the trigger and be sitting on go when we catch a rain.
Corn & Soybeans
There’s no question that dry conditions will elevate the risks associated with continuing to plant field corn and soybeans. While this approach is inherently risky, both corn and soybeans can tolerate dry soils for a period of time. However, several factors can significantly reduce germination and the successful emergence of seedlings. First, if soil moisture is below roughly 30–50% of the seed’s weight, germination will not initiate. In this state, the seed can remain viable for several weeks, but elevated soil temperatures may reduce overall seed vigor over time. Planting depth becomes vitally important, and trying to catch a light rain in the top inch of soil is not advised for seeds that would otherwise be exposed to extreme temperature swings. Second, if there is enough moisture to initiate germination, often described as moisture “two knuckles deep”, but conditions turn dry shortly after, seedlings may only survive for about a week before death. As concerning is the hot soil temperatures that the small plants will be growing in. Third, hot, dry soil conditions can increase pressure from soil-dwelling pests, which may damage or destroy seeds and young seedlings. Fourth, surface-applied or pop-up nitrogen is at greater risk of volatilization under these conditions. Finally, pre-emergence (PRE) herbicides may either break down before crop emergence or fail to properly activate due to insufficient moisture, reducing their overall effectiveness. Data from this past year indicate that as long as we plant before April 28th, we can still maintain adequate yields.