Despite drought some crops bloom and thrive

Peanuts produce flowers throughout the growing season. Texas AgriLife Extension Service photo by Dr. Todd Baughman) COLLEGE STATION – Most of Texas received from 0.25 to 1.5 inches of rain in the last week of July, with a few areas recording 3 inches or more, according to the National Weather Service. (http://water.weather.gov/)

South of San Antonio, the state remained rain-free, and record high temperatures continued to hammer crops, rangeland and livestock, according to reports from Texas AgriLife Extension Service personnel. Despite the drought, some crops are having a good year. Peanuts, for example, are ahead of schedule and looking very good, said Dr. Todd Baughman, AgriLife Extension agronomist based at Uvalde.

Texas peanut acreage totals about 160,000 acres this year, down about 40 percent from 2008, he said. The drop in acreage was only due in part from a drop in prices because of the salmonella scare earlier this year. A larger effect was the drought. "At least 98 percent of Texas peanuts are irrigated and most are grown in West Texas," Baughman said. "Peanuts are heavy water users, and with the dry spring, many producers elected to put in other crops."

Cotton was blooming in some parts of the state, setting bolls in some and squaring in others. (Texas AgriLife Extension Service photo by Dr. Todd Baughman) Most irrigated cotton is doing well too, though reports from some counties indicate it is from one to two weeks late. "Dryland crop condition is beginning to decline as plants become moisture-stressed due to lack of moisture," said Dale Dunlap, AgriLife Extension agent for Collingsworth County, east of Amarillo. "Ir- rigated crops look good, cotton is in full bloom and peanuts are pegging."

"Crops appear to be embracing the moisture as the sorghum and cotton have really seemed to take off this week," said Todd Beyers, AgriLife Extension agent for Lamb County, northwest of Lubbock . "We're seeing several more white blooms and a couple of purple blooms this morning in the cotton fields."

"We received about 1 inch (of rain) around the county this week with western portions receiving nearly 2 inches," said Greg Jones, AgriLife Extension agent for Garza County, southeast of Lubbock. "Cotton crop is still all over the board in terms of condition. Some locations, crops look good and others crops are behind and needing moisture and time after a long dry spell."

More information on drought in Texas can be found at the Web site of the Drought Joint Information Center at http://agrilife.tamu. edu/drought/.