MANHATTAN, Kan. - Heading into Thanksgiving week, the 2013 wheat crop is rated at just 30% good to excellent - the second poorest wheat crop in mid-November that Kansas Agricultural Statistics has ever recorded.

Wheat farmers should be scouting fields to see whether pest, weed or nutrient problems exist, suggests Jim Shroyer, wheat specialist at Kansas State University. Throughout Kansas, the crop is in various stages of growth and conditions. At K-State's Agronomy Farm north of Manhattan, the agronomist sees a couple of issues that could impact the crop.

Shroyer notes that at the Agronomy Farm, the crown root is starting to grow. In a normal year, the crown root system is, or should be, much more extensive than the primary root system. Crown roots take up most of the water and nutrients from the soil, so they are very important for the plant to survive the winter. Also, crown roots anchor the plant to the ground.

Primary roots coming from the seed take up water and nutrients throughout the whole growing season, but there aren't very many of these roots, and they will not support a plant with one or two tillers for very long. Farmers throughout Kansas agree that the crop is challenged so far.