Wheat harvest wraps up with mixed yields

Across Texas, wheat harvest results depended very much on the weather. Drought led to early termination of dryland fields, and muddy conditions are delaying ongoing harvests to the detriment of grain quality. However, across the state, it was an average year for Texas wheat.

Texas A&M AgriLife Extension Service agronomists initially predicted a good wheat season based on a good start. But conditions deteriorated in some areas, resulting in lower yields than expected, while other areas experienced better yields than in 2024.

According to the U.S. Department of Agriculture National Agricultural Statistics Service, the Texas wheat harvest was estimated to be 70% complete on June 22, with about 73% of the crop reported in fair or better condition. A total of 2.3 million acres is expected to be harvested for grain. The June crop production report forecast Texas wheat production at 69 million bushels, with an average yield of 30 bushels per acre.

South Texas region winds up early

Brandon Gerrish, Ph.D., AgriLife Extension statewide small grains specialist and assistant professor in the Texas A&M Department of Soil and Crop Sciences, Bryan-College Station, said harvest in South Texas finished quickly due to warm winter weather and hot temperatures during mid-May.

Yields for irrigated winter and spring wheat at the AgriLife Extension variety trial site near Castroville were higher than in the 2024 season.

“We know most of the Winter Garden area southwest of San Antonio has been in drought for over a year now, so it is likely that irrigated wheat may have done alright, but dryland fields struggled,” Gerrish said.

Rains, or lack thereof, impact Blacklands/Central Texas harvest

Gerrish said test weights are up in the southern Blacklands compared to last year due to less rain after maturity. However, producers in the northern Blacklands are not as lucky as continued rains resulted in some preharvest sprouting. Harvest is still underway for some northeast Texas producers, who are struggling with muddy fields.

Overall, yields across the Blacklands region were lower this year due to the dry conditions that persisted through winter and early spring, he said. Damage from spring Hessian fly infestations also lowered test weights in that area.

He said soft red winter wheat varieties seemed to perform better than hard red winter wheat varieties in the Hill County and north.

Dry conditions affect yields in Rolling Plains

Gerrish said while the dryland wheat south of Abilene through Central Texas failed or had very low yields, in the Rolling Plains, the yields and test weights at the AgriLife Extension yield trial in Chillicothe were better than those in 2024. 

Reagan Noland, Ph.D., AgriLife Extension agronomist and assistant professor in the Department of Soil and Crop Sciences, San Angelo, said dryland yields were lowest in the southern and southeastern parts of the region that never received sufficient rainfall. Acreage in McCulloch County and surrounding counties failed or produced extremely low yields – below 5-10 bushels per acre – due to drought.

The yields increased, moving north through Runnels County and into the Central Texas counties surrounding Abilene, Noland said.

Emi Kimura, Ph.D., AgriLife Extension agronomist and associate professor in the Department of Soil and Crop Sciences at Vernon, said prolonged wet field conditions in May and June delayed harvest in the Rolling Plains, but it is now complete. Yields varied widely depending on the planting time. Wheat planted in October performed better than fields planted after good rains in November that were followed by dry conditions. 

High Plains region experiences good yields

In the High Plains, most dryland acres are cut. Some irrigated acres are delayed due to continued rains, which is unusual for the area, Gerrish said. Areas north of the Canadian River missed many of the rains, resulting in much shorter and lower-yielding wheat.

Calvin Trostle, Ph.D., AgriLife Extension agronomist and professor in the Department of Soil and Crop Sciences, Lubbock, said spring rains in the South Plains produced better-irrigated wheat yields. The dryland wheat was a mixed bag, ranging from 30 bushels per acre yields to no harvest. He also noted the lowest level of disease incidence – wheat streak mosaic and rusts – or insect issues in recent memory. 

Jourdan Bell, Ph.D., AgriLife Extension agronomist and associate professor in the Department of Soil and Crop Sciences, Amarillo, said the wheat harvest is still underway for the Panhandle. Yields were significantly boosted by the May rain, which produced late tillers and added grain yield.

“Our dryland wheat is above average, with some farmers reporting yields of 60 or more bushels per acre,” Bell said. “Our irrigated wheat is also very strong, with yields greater than 100 bushels per acre.”

Gerrish said the AgriLife Extension dryland test site at Bushland averaged 72-bushel yields, the highest since 2005.

While the rainfall benefited many producers, Bell and Trostle said there were still many areas impacted by hail. Gerrish said AgriLife Extension lost two test sites to hail.

AgriLife Extension district reporters compiled the following summaries:

Panhandle

Widespread rain caused delays in both replanting and the wheat harvest. The wheat harvest was excellent, except in locations that received hail. In those cases, yields were 50% lower than expected. Dryland wheat that avoided hail damage was yielding 60 bushels per acre, while irrigated fields ranged from 70-90 bushels. Most spring crop fields that were hail damaged were replanted with sorghum. Overall crop conditions were fair to good. Overall soil moisture was short to adequate. Pasture and range conditions were fair to good.

South Plains

Sporadic rain showers fell, leaving 0.5-1.5 inches of moisture, which helped reduce irrigation needs and benefited dryland crops. Herbicides were applied to weeds. Fleahoppers and grasshoppers were sprayed on corn and sorghum and Conservation Reserve Program land. Corn and cotton were in fair to good condition. Hailed-out cotton was being replaced with sorghum. Cucumbers were 50% planted, with producers reporting some weather delays. Black-eyed peas were 70% planted. Cattle were in good condition, as the additional rainfall allowed more grazing.

Rolling Plains

Conditions remained favorable over the past week. Occasional scattered showers were welcomed for newly planted cotton. Corn and sorghum crop conditions appeared favorable, with the exception being poorly drained portions of fields. Producers were able to cut and bale a generous amount of hay. Pastures and wildlife food plots looked good, and livestock were in good to excellent condition.

North

Hot, humid weather continued across the district, with some counties experiencing sporadic/scattered showers. Topsoil and subsoil moisture levels were adequate to surplus in most areas. Winter wheat was nearly harvested. Corn was doing well, with small amounts of kernel sprout occurring, but most fields were maturing through the dough stages. Sorghum was maturing and in bloom. Hay harvest was in good shape. Weeds were growing rapidly. Pasture and range conditions were good to fair.  Livestock conditions were good with the amount of quality forage in the pastures. Nuisance flies and horse flies were a problem.

East

Pop-up showers and thunderstorms caused problems and delays for producers. Soils stayed consistently saturated in some areas. Panola County reported the scattered storms led to a noticeable decline in forage quality for certain cuttings. Smith County reported fungal smut in a Bermuda grass hay field. Ponds and creeks remained full. Producers were wrapping up spring and early summer harvests while shifting attention to fall planting preparations. The cattle market remained strong. Livestock were in fair to good condition.

Far West

Hot and dry conditions were observed across the district. Temperatures were above average, especially at night, which hurt overnight crop recovery. High winds persisted, further drying out cropland and rangeland despite some shower activity moving through areas. Crop adjusters were traveling throughout the region to assess noted negative impacts on cotton, corn and sorghum. Pecans and hay crops were doing well for the time being. Melons were being harvested just ahead of schedule. Soil moisture was depleted, and pastures continued to dry out, requiring more hay and supplementation for livestock.     

West Central

Hot and dry conditions prevailed in most counties, and some burn bans were enacted. Menard County was an exception, receiving around 8 inches of rain over the past 20 days. High winds significantly impacted moisture conditions. Most wheat harvest was finished. Planted cotton was progressing but showed signs of heat and moisture stress. Corn was maturing. Early planted grain sorghum was coloring and the later-planted fields struggled in the heat. Pecan progress continued. Weeds were abundant and producers were spraying cropland. The majority of the first hay cuttings were baled, with some producers starting a second cutting. Some hay grazer was cut. Pasture forages were drying out quickly but still looked good. Cattle continued to look good. Stock tank levels were a mixed bag with some near full and others that never caught any runoff were low.

Central

Counties across the region experienced warm and dry conditions over the past week, characterized by dramatically warming temperatures and declining soil moisture levels. Corn crops performed well, with silage harvests beginning and better-than-average yield expectations. Cotton needed additional rainfall. Temperatures approaching the mid-90s and forecasts reaching 100 degrees raised concerns about continued drought stress and declining pasture conditions. Hay production was in full swing, with exceptional yields and good quality, as producers capitalized on previous rainfall. Many producers were preparing for second hay cuttings. Livestock remained in good condition.

Southeast

Scattered storms and heavy rainfall led to localized flooding in some counties, especially in low-lying areas. The frequent rainfall also created issues for corn and rice crops that require dry periods during key flowering hours, and hay cutting was delayed. However, row crops and forages benefited from the rain. Some corn was silking, but some experienced rust due to excess moisture. Most rice emerged, and sorghum was headed. Cotton, soybeans and sunflowers were planted. Soil moisture levels were adequate to surplus. Pasture conditions improved with surplus forage growth. Livestock conditions were good, but fly populations were increasing.

Southwest

Weather conditions were hot and dry, with temperatures in the 90s and strong, gusty winds. Row crops improved some with earlier rain but were drying out quickly and showing signs of stress. Corn and sorghum harvests should begin soon. Feed corn was harvested, and the residue was baled for straw. Trees were beginning to suffer from drought stress. Pecans were developing well. Pasture and range conditions improved following recent rains. Hay harvest was in full swing, and hay grazer also neared the cutting stage. Livestock markets were steady to higher. Livestock grazed on pastures with some supplemental forage. Deer fawns looked healthy. Armyworms and high numbers of grasshoppers were reported.

Coastal Bend

Weekend rains delayed harvest preparations. Corn was drying down and beginning the dent stage. Some producers still needed water for earthen dams. Range and pasture conditions remained good, and hay harvest continued with fair to good yields. Livestock forages were in fair to good shape, and cattle conditions were overall good with adequate forage. Some producers were retaining replacement heifers rather than selling them to capitalize on high prices.

South

Conditions were warm and humid, with periodic rain showers in some areas, but drought conditions persisted in others, and there was no water available in the local irrigation canals. Topsoil and subsoil moisture was adequate due to the scattered showers, but moisture was drying up due to the heat. The rains halted the grain sorghum harvest. Corn was in the denting stage, and cotton was setting bolls. Verde bugs on cotton were an emerging issue. Peanut planting was completed, with most fields in the pegging stage. Vegetable growers were harvesting. Strawberry fields were being prepared. Turfgrass harvest was underway. The watermelon harvest ended. Midge and sorghum aphid issues occurred on flowering sorghum. Hay fields and pastures were in excellent condition. Some grass was starting to dry out and turn yellow. Cattle supplementation decreased due to the improved range and pasture conditions. Beef cattle prices remained strong, and feed prices were still high. Livestock and wildlife were in good condition.