The difference may be between a good year and an average year.

The difference may be
between a good year and
an average year.

By D.A. WILKINSON

VINDICATOR SALEM BUREAU

SALEM — Sunday’s rainfall helped crops, as will the humidity forecast for this week.

However, the shortage of rain in Columbiana, Mahoning and Trumbull counties in Ohio may mean farmers will have average crops this year instead of great ones.

Lawrence and Mercer counties in Pennsylvania have had similar shortages. The state has issued a warning about potentially low groundwater supplies, but not a warning about crops.

George Houk, chief field assistant for the U.S. Department of Agriculture office in Salem and a farmer in Mahoning County, said any problem “depends on where you are and what you are growing.”

He said his farm in Springfield Township has received less rain than western portions of the county.

Owen Unkefer of Columbiana, the president of the Columbiana County Fair, said the rain helped his crops.

The western portion of Ohio has been hurt more by the lack of rain than the eastern portion of the state, farming officials said.

“It’s always a gamble,” said Jill Ritchie, a program technician at the USDA office in Salem.

Houk compared the lack of rain with making a recipe that calls for a cup of sugar with only half a cup. It may taste better with half a cup than with no sweetener, but it doesn’t taste like it’s supposed to, he said.

Effects on corn

People won’t notice any difference when they are buying sweet corn at the store, Houk said. That corn has been watered and fertilized for the table.

Corn used in products or for feed is most likely to be affected.

Wind-blown pollen fertilizes each string of silk on an ear of corn, which is actually a tube, Houk said. Each tube is connected to one kernel of corn.

Looking at the tall corn in the field doesn’t tell the full story. Problems that can keep the kernels from being pollinated aren’t visible until the corn is harvested.

And, Houk added, “The heat is just as bad as the drought.”

Humidity helps provide a sort of protective area around the corn during the pollination time, which is occurring now.

There are also Japanese beetles in the area this year. If they eat the visible silks, there’s no pollination of the corn.

Rain also washes spider mites off soybeans. Without regular rain, the crops could be hurt.

Some grass and hay crops have not done well because of the lack of rain.

wilkinson@vindy.com