Following the wet spring and delayed planting the potato crop is emerging fast across Manitoba, the June 23 provincial potato report from Manitoba Agriculture’s Vikram Bisht said.
As of June 18 all potato acres were planted in Manitoba. Bisht noted warmer soil temperatures and good moisture has caused emergence to be 2.5 to three weeks faster than normal. About 75 per cent of fields are reporting emergence with growth ranging from nearly 12 inches with tuber initiation to just emerging.
Precipitation has been variable with scattered showers across the province over the week. The report noted rainfall amounts range from 9.0 mm in Morden to 104.2 mm in Austin.
“Like last week, southern potato growing areas received lesser rains during this period. On June 20 to 21, there were additional thundershowers, soaking the already wet fields across Manitoba,” the report said.
Looking at average rainfalls, most sites have received more than normal. At Altona, Morden it’s 124 per cent above average, at Austin, Bagot it’s 250 per cent and Carberry, Rivers are 200 per cent over.
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