Mato Grosso, Goias Drying Raises Concern For Safrinha Corn
By Drew Lerner
Kansas City, May 8 (World Weather Inc.) – A steady rate of drying occurred across center west and northeastern grain and cotton production areas of Brazil during the past week. Temperatures were warm and the combination of warm and dry conditions accelerated the depletion of soil moisture. Some crop moisture stress was beginning and timely rain will be needed soon to protect production potentials.
Rainfall over the past week was lacking in many areas from Mato Grosso and northern Mato Grosso do Sul to western and northern Minas Gerais and western Bahia. Some of the dry region was also reporting poor rainfall in April and the extended period of dry weather has begun to stress late season corn plants while approaching and entering reproduction. The next few weeks will be extremely important in determining yield potential and since a fair amount of the 2017 Safrinha crop was planted late there is a greater demand for and worry over rainfall 
in the next few weeks.
Topsoil moisture was rated very short across most of northern Brazil from Mato Grosso through Goias and Tocantins to northern Minas Gerais and western Bahia. But at this time of year it is the subsoil moisture that is most important for second season crops. Once subsoil moisture is depleted crop stress will become more significant and more of a threat for production.
Subsoil moisture is rated adequately in most of the drier areas noted above in second season corn country. However, southeastern parts of Mato Grosso and western areas of Goias are drying out a little too fast and some rain will be needed soon to stave off a more significant bout of crop stress that could reduce yield potentials.
Rain is expected late this week and into the weekend in far 
southern Brazil. Rio Grande do Sul and Paraguay will receive most of the heavy rainfall with some flooding expected. The disturbance responsible for the heavy rain will move northeast through far southern Brazil to center south and a few center west production areas of Brazil. The rain will prove to be very important to Safrinha crop development since soil moisture has been in a declining mode in recent weeks.
Some rain is expected in center west and center south Brazil this weekend through mid-week next week. It is debatable how significant the rain will be in Mato Grosso and Goias, but early indications are suggesting rain may be sufficient for a period of relief from developing stress. The timing of rain may be ideal with the planting and establishment of winter wheat in Parana and the further development of Safrinha Corn. Other late season crops, like cotton, rice, citrus, sugarcane and coffee will benefit from the moisture. Enough rain may fall to buy some time before Safrinha corn production areas become too dry and it will occur at the time of reproduction suggesting some important reinforcement of high yield potentials for many late season crops in Brazil.
World Weather, Inc. forecasts and comments pertaining to present, past and future weather conditions included in this report constitute the corporation’s judgment as of the date of this report and are subject to change without notice. Comments regarding damage or the impact of weather on agricultural and energy as well as comments made regarding the impact of weather on the commodity and financial markets are the explicit opinions of World Weather, Inc. World Weather, Inc. cannot be held responsible for decisions made by users of the Corporation’s information in any business, trade or investment decision.
©2017 World Weather, Inc. Any unauthorized redistribution, duplication or disclosure is prohibited by law and will result in prosecution.