Kansas wheat harvest continues. Kansas State University wheat production specialist Romulo Lollato explained how the wheat harvest got off to a slow start.

An early USDA report released June 23 indicated that only 20% of the Kansas wheat crop had been harvested, compared to 49% at the same time last year.

Kansas usually begins harvest in late May, but this year things were different, Lollato said. “The first few reports that we’re hearing about were June 9 or so. We’re probably at least 10 days behind.”

“Since we have started, there has been a lot of rainfall that slowed down harvest,” Lollato said. “If we look statewide at rainfall over the last couple of weeks, the majority of the state got anywhere from 1-8 inches.”

While rain may be good for other crops, it brings concern for wheat harvesters. Lollato said factors that could lead to a reduction in yield might include a water-logged field, which is usually a larger concern during crop development. There have been reports of water-logged fields in parts of central Kansas.

Late season, water logging “will actually delay progress of harvest. Because of this very wet soil, growers cannot drive on top,” Lollato said. “There is also the possibility of increased saprophytic fungi as well as lodging, which we have seen a lot of.”

Lollato said grain shattering has been very prevalent this year.

“We started seeing really 3 or 4 weeks ago where some of the glumes (a protective leaf-like structure that holds the kernel) were opened up,” Lollato said.

Lollato also said there seems to be an increase in the incidence of weeds, noting that “any water out there available will be used by the weeds.”

“So, no competition for those resources combined with water and warm temperatures that we’re having make it excellent conditions for weed emergence,” he said.