'We may see some damage': Crop expert worried about wet Sask. fields

A rainy stretch of weather, including several downpours, has led to concern in Saskatchewan about the state of this year's crop.

Earlier in the growing season, many farmers were expressing optimism about how things were developing.

Shannon Friesen, a regional crop specialist with the province, said Wednesday that recent wet weather is worrisome.

We may see some damage on our lentil fields and our pea fields.- ShannonFriesen

"We've heard that some communities got anywhere from very small amounts of rain to several inches," Friesen said. "So things are not looking as good as they were even three or four days ago."

She noted that areas around Estevan, Carrot River, Arborfield and Davidson were of particular concern.

• Crop report notes plenty of rain around Saskatchewan

Pulse producers, Friesen said, could be the hardest hit.

"[Pulse crops] do not like saturated soils," she said. "We may see some damage on our lentil fields and our pea fields in particular."

Before officials can determine which crops may be lost,Friesen said things have to dry out a bit.

She noted cereal crops are resilient but water lodging and yellowing are possible.

Excess water also puts crops at greater risk of disease.

Soil that is over-saturated is also prone to erosion.

Officials are monitoring the situation.