Todd Whitney, Extension Educator in Phelps County: Approximately 1.30-1.50+ inches of rain last week slowed field pea planting but was very welcome since soils were hard on the surface. Corn planting preparation will likely pick up again this week with probable planting due to begin April 15-20. Wheat green-up continues.

Strahinja Stepanovic, Cropping Systems Extension Educator in West Central Nebraska: It had been dry here for a long time, particularly in Chase County, but in the last 7-10 days we got 2 inches of rain. Even with that, conditions are dry. We do have some really good-looking wheat in the area and overall the crop here is 25% poor to very poor, 50% good, and 25% excellent. A few were spraying their wheat for stripe rust. Pre-emergence herbicides are being applied in some other crop field. Kochia, mustards and marestail are emerging. Field pea planting is almost done. We have a field pea planting date study underway that should provide some valuable information for future recommendations.