The Associated Press
STARKVILLE — Agriculture experts at Mississippi State University say Mississippi’s soybean crop needs more moisture to complete what has at times been a dry season.
Mississippi State’s University Extension Service says recent rains, along with irrigation, have helped after a dry spell in June.
“We are thankful for the rain that we’ve received this growing season, and we all know it is a blessing,” Trent Irby, Mississippi State University Extension Service soybean specialist, said in a news release. “But we still have several weeks to go in many areas, and additional moisture certainly will be needed to finish making the crop.”
Planting began in late March this year and continued through early July. Mississippi has 2.13 million soybean acres this year.
Irby said many of the state’s producers practice an early planting system and, at this point, the earlier soybeans have the advantage.
“Things were relatively uneventful up until mid-July,” Irby said. “Much of the earlier portion of the crop will likely finish the season without too much pressure from disease or insects, but our later-planted soybean crop, particularly the double-crop portion, will need to be monitored closely so that timely insect and disease management practices can be applied to minimize any negative effects on yield.”
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