Favourable weather conditions have aided seeding operations in Alberta as well as crop emergence, according to a provincial crop specialist.
Seeding of various grain, oilseed and pulse crops is now complete in the southern regions of Alberta, 95-100 per cent done in central areas, roughly 80-85 per cent complete in the northeast and 70-75 per cent finished in the northwest and Peace regions of the province, said Neil Whatley of the Alberta Ag-Info Centre in Stettler.
"Emergence of the early seeded crops has been very good," he said, with crops receiving a good combination of both precipitation and warm temperatures.
Soil moisture conditions in the province were rated as good overall, with the exception being the Peace district, which was on the drier side and could still use some additional rainfall, he said.
There were some patchy winter wheat fields found in Alberta due to winterkill, but so far there has been little reseeding of those crops, Whatley said.
There were some concerns about frost damage to crops in southern areas, but so far little reseeding of those fields has occurred, he said.
There were reports of some flea beetle issues in canola crops as well as some cutworm issues in isolated areas of the province, Whatley said.
