Crop disease is invading many farmers' fields in the Weyburn area and throughout the southern grainbelt, according to Saskatchewan Agriculture and Food.

Pulse crops have been hit hard in recent days by ascochyta blight and anthracnose, which are related to higher than normal rainfall amounts during June and July. Ascochyta blight on chickpea is especially bad.

Fungal diseases produce lesions on stems that can kill chickpea, lentil and field pea plants and directly impact yields. Even lesions on leaves and pods reduce yields and quality.

The situation is bad enough on Saskatchewan's 4.8 million acres of pulse crops that Health Canada has granted the emergency registration of Bravo Ultrex to help control fungal disease. Supplies of the registered Bravo 500 are limited and may be insufficient.

There is concern that some pulse crops this season may not be harvestable.

Other diseases reported on crops include rust, leaf disease, botrytis, wheat streak mosaic, and fusarium.

Lodging has been reported in the area, due to strong winds in the past week. Hail was reported in the Moosomin, Regina, Moose Jaw and Assiniboia areas, but missed the Weyburn crop district.

Flooding damage was less of a concern for local farmers in the past week, but cold temperatures early in the week brought unexpected concerns about frost. Frost was reported at the northern edge of Crop District 1b near Moosomin, where some flag leaf froze on some oat crops.

Insect problems in the past week have been mainly restricted to wheat midge in the Weyburn area. Saw flies have been reported further east and grasshoppers have been getting at crops further west.

Crop growth was aided by warm weather over the weekend, which is likely to continue this week. Southern spring cereal, canola and mustard crops are furthest advanced in the province. Southern fall cereals are also developmentally ahead of the rest of the province, and swathing should be underway before the end of July.

Topsoil moisture conditions on crop, hay and pasture land are generally reported as good. Excessive moisture conditions continue to be reported in some south central and southeastern areas, but pockets of poor moisture conditions are also being reported in those same areas.

Haying progress was made during the past week with about 52 per cent of the first cut hay baled or put into silage, up from about 30 per cent last week. Less than 20 per cent remains standing. Quality is expected to be fair to good. Cutting of the second-cut hay crop is just beginning in the southern grainbelt. Dry weather would allow farmers to complete their first-cut haying operations.