Wheat Production & Management

1. Wheat Production & Management • Ed Twidwell • LSU AgCenter • School of Plant, Environmental & Soil Sciences

2. Wheat production in Louisiana: • Wheat acreage fluctuates with price • Last 10 years, acreage has been between 100,000 & 150,000 acres • In 1985 acreage was about 500,000 acres • Expecting over 300,000 acres to be planted in 2007

3. Type of Wheat Grown in Louisiana • Soft red winter wheat • Used for cakes, pastries, crackers • This wheat is grown throughout the southern USA up through Illinois & Indiana • Other types: hard red winter, hard red spring, & white wheat are grown in other regions

4. Advantages of Producing Wheat • Provides cash flow in the late spring • Works well in a double-cropping system with soybeans • Reduces soil erosion during the winter and spring months

5. Problems With Growing Wheat • Wheat is not treated as a major crop by many producers • Difficult environmental conditions: • Wet soils during the fall & winter • High humidity during the spring • Excessive rainfall prior to harvest

6. Key Point • In order for wheat to be grown successfully in Louisiana: • It needs to be treated as a major crop!

7. Land Selection • Wheat does not tolerate poor drainage very well • Wheat should be planted on the most well-drained soils available

8. Land Preparation • Conventional: • Seedbed preparation should be thorough enough to incorporate existing vegetation and permit uniform planting

9. Seeding Rate • LSU Ag Center recommended rate is 60 to 120 pounds/acre, depending upon conditions • A rate of 60-75 pounds/acre should be sufficient if high quality seed is selected and planted into a good seedbed with adequate moisture • For any seedbed that is “less than ideal”, the seeding rate should be adjusted upwards between 75 and 120 pounds/acre

10. Louisiana Research Seed rate Yield Plants Tillers --lb/A-- -bu/A- #/sq ft #/plant 15 76 4.6 9.8 30 89 9.0 4.9 60 91 13.3 3.2 90 92 23.8 2.1 120 90 29.4 1.6 Mascagni et. al

11. Arkansas Research • Seeding rate (lb/A) Yield (bu/A) 30 68 60 72 90 75 120 77 150 74 180 77

12. Seeding Method • Drill: Preferred Method • Reduces seeding rate (60-75 pounds/A) • Ensures good soil-to-seed contact • Provides excellent control of seeding depth • Provides more uniform stands

13. Broadcasting: Widely Used • Broadcast seed and then harrow or disk the seed into the ground • Major problem: random seeding depth and soil is not firmed around the seeds • Firming the soil after seeding with a cultipacker may help • Seeding rate: At least 75-120 pounds/acre

14. No-till • Could be a useful seeding method on highly erodible soils or in wet soil conditions • Research studies from several states show little or no yield differences between conventional and no-till plantings

15. No-till, cont. • No-till planting into soybean residue is ideal • Residue management is important with corn • May need to increase seeding rate by 10% if planting into heavy residue

16. Planting Date • North Louisiana: October 15 to November 15 • Central & South Louisiana: November 1 to 30

17. Major Problem • Growers typically want to plant wheat before the recommended planting dates • They do so because they worry about excessive fall rains keeping them from planting wheat on time or not at all

18. Early-Planted Wheat • Excessive fall and winter growth makes wheat more prone to spring freezes • Excessive fall and early spring growth can make wheat more prone to early spring wheat diseases • Don’t fertilize too heavy with N initially

19. Late-Planted Wheat • Yields can be reduced if planting is delayed until mid-December • Late-planted wheat study in 1991-92 • Planting dates of normal (early November) & late (mid-December) at 4 locations • Normal: Mean yield of 44 bushels/A • Late: Mean yield of 32 bushels/A

20. Recommendation • If growers insist on planting early, they must make sure they DO NOT plant an early-maturing variety • They should plant a later-maturing variety • Can look at the LSU AgCenter website for data on heading dates

21. Wheat Varieties for Louisiana • Variety Maturity LA 482 Early AGS 2000 Early LA 841 Early USG 3209 Medium Pioneer 26R61 Medium Coker 9553 Late TV 8558 Late Panola Late

22. Recommendation • The early-maturing varieties should be planted during the recommended planting dates or later

23. Planting Depth • A depth of about 1 to 1.5 inches is adequate Depth (in.) Emergence (%) 1 95 2 76 3 31 4 4

24. Freeze Damage • Mainly a problem with early-planted wheat • Difficult to assess because freezing frequently injures only part of the wheat spike or only plants in certain parts of the field • After a freeze, late tillers are produced that have the capability of still producing a decent grain yield • Yield of these late tillers is determined by environmental conditions

25. Growth Stage Important Growth stage Low temp (2 hrs) Effect Jointing 24 Mod. Boot 28 Mod. Heading 30 Severe Flowering 30 Severe Milk 28 Mod. Dough 28 Slight Kansas State Univ.

26. Wheat Stand Ratings • Should a grower keep or destroy a stand? • Ideally would like to have 25-35 plants/sq ft • < 4 plants/sq ft Bad • 4-12 plants/sq ft Look at vigor & uniformity > 12 plants/sq ft Most likely keep

27. Wheat Tillering Can Compensate For Low Plant Populations Seeding rate Plants/sq ft Tillers/plant ---lb/acre--- 56 11 7.6 80 19 5.4 112 33 3.6 224 45 3.0 Kansas State Univ.

28. Wheat for Grazing & Grain • Probably not a good idea • Almost any type of grazing will cause damage to the wheat grain yield, especially under wet conditions • Absolutely need dry conditions • Question: Is it worth the risk?

29. Winnsboro Research Grazing Termination 1980 1981 ---Yield (bu/A)--- Check 39 45 March 1 23 23 March 15 6 25 Viator, et al.

30. Feekes Scale

31. Why is this scale important? • Many herbicide and fungicide labels will use this scale when describing when the products should be applied • It is a “universal” scale that is used throughout the United States

32. Tillering Stem Extension Heading Flowering Ripening 1-5 6-10 10.1-10.5 10.51-10.54 11.1-11.4 Feekes Scale

33. Feekes Scale 3 • Tillers formed • Most of the tillers that contribute to grain yield potential are completed during this stage • Many weed control decisions should be made before or during this stage

34. Feekes Stage 4 • Beginning of erect growth • Most tillers have been formed by this stage • Secondary root system is developing • Growing point is still below the soil

35. Feekes Stage 5 • Plant becomes strongly erect • All meaningful tiller development has ceased • Growing point is still below the soil level • Ideal stage for spring topdressing of N • Difficult stage to determine!!!!!!!!!

36. Feekes Stage 6 • First node visible (jointing) • Relatively easy to determine this stage • Use knife to split stems • The first node is swollen and appears above the soil surface

37. Stage 6, cont. • Some herbicides should not be applied after this stage • Excellent stage to make spring topdressing of N • Growers need to be monitoring their stands and know how to determine this growth stage

38. Feekes Stage 8 • Flag leaf visible • Flag leaf makes up about 75% of the effective leaf area that contributes to grain fill • Decisions regarding some fungicide applications should be made

39. Feekes Stage 10 • Boot stage • Head is fully developed, but has not yet emerged from the leaf sheath below the flag leaf

40. Summary • Treat wheat like you would other crops • Encourage growers to not plant too early • Prepare a good seedbed and avoid wet areas • Listen closely to the remaining presentations

41. Questions?