The Georgia Agricultural Experiment Stations
College of Agricultural and Environmental Sciences
The University of Georgia
1999 Soybean, Sorghum Grain and Silage,
Grain Millet, and Summer Annual Forages Performance Tests
Research Report Number 663
February, 2000
J. LaDon Day, Anton E. Coy, and Paul A. Rose, Editors
Growing conditions did not improve during 1999 as below normal rainfall and high temperatures occurred across the state. Although dry weather impeded early planting, clear weather in April and May allowed a relatively timely planting of the 1999 Georgia crops. As a result of unfavorable weather, the status of crops remained fair to poor throughout the season and much irrigation was required.
The severe drought conditions that Georgia has been experiencing since April 1998 continued throughout the growing season. Rainfall at the six test sites is listed below. Total seasonal rainfall amounts were below normal at all test locations with one site receiving only 60 percent of long-term average.
| 1999 Rainfall1 | ||||||
| Month | Athens2 | Calhoun3 | Griffin | Midville | Plains | Tifton |
| ------------------------------ inches ------------------------------ | ||||||
| March | 2.46 | 3.24 | 3.11 | 1.57 | 2.42 | 1.13 |
| April | 1.77 | 2.14 | 1.53 | 2.75 | 2.65 | 2.07 |
| May | 3.50 | 4.70 | 2.56 | 1.62 | 2.45 | 2.14 |
| June | 5.32 | 4.95 | 6.76 | 2.87 | 3.30 | 7.57 |
| July | 2.80 | 4.98 | 1.37 | 4.79 | 3.75 | 4.65 |
| August | 2.01 | 1.49 | 2.47 | 2.30 | 1.78 | 1.57 |
| September | 2.14 | 1.01 | 1.78 | 4.53 | 0.83 | 2.05 |
| october | 3.47 | 2.97 | 3.69 | 4.27 | 1.93 | 0.73 |
| Total | 23.47 | 25.38 | 23.27 | 24.70 | 19.11 | 21.91 |
| Normal (8 mo) | 32.26 | 35.00 | 33.26 | 31.17 | 31.99 | 32.72 |
| 1Data provided in
part by Dr. G. Hoogenboom, Georgia Station, Griffin, GA. 2Plant Sciences Farm. 3Floyd County location. |
||||||
Georgia farmers continue to reduce planted acres of some row crops. Soybean acres continued a 3-year decline in acreage, down 10 percent, while grain sorghum and forage crop acres remained steady.
Overall, the 1999 growing season was extremely difficult for growers. The harvest season was timely due to a very dry October and November. Grain sorghum and forage production increased 32 percent and 17 percent, respectively, over 1998, while soybean production declined 22 percent from 1998.