Five Fall Factors for Focus

TOP RESULTS DON’T HAPPEN BY ACCIDENT – THESE FACTORS CAN LEAD TO IMPROVED SUCCESS WITH WHEAT

As with all crops, proper planting is a crucial step to creating the highest possible yields.  Please review these focus areas to ensure your wheat crop gets the “Serious Start” that is needs. 

Equipment properly tuned and calibrated

Ensuring equipment is well maintained and calibrated correctly is imperative for high management crop production. When targeting a specific seeding rate based on calendar date and seed size, it is important that the drill is seeding at the intended rate. You do not want the drill seeding too much or too little. Also, make sure disc openers are sharp and measure no less than the manufactures specifications for proper no-till operations.  Target a depth of 1.0 to 1.5”.  A worn out disc opener will not penetrate hard soil or cut residue properly.  This will create issues with seed placement and residue “hair-pinning”.  Proper spreading of previous crop residue is extremely important to allow for uniform seed placement.

Seed Placed Phosphorous

Seed placed phosphorous has proven to be an integral part to high management wheat production year after year. Having phosphorous in the row is the most efficient use of the nutrient. The wheat crop has the highest demand for phosphorous in the first 30 days of growth. Seed place phosphorous allows for early plant vigor and greater winter survivability. Yield response to seed placed phosphorous is anywhere from 5-20bu/ac.  Not all seed drills are equipped with a separate compartment for dry fertilizer or with liquid tanks.  A cost-effective way to get phosphorous with the seed is mixing MAP and wheat seed together. For instance, 50lbs/ac MAP and 125lbs/ac of seed would get seeded at 175lbs/ac in the same compartment.  Be careful not to go with too high of a rate of MAP as some drills are limited as to how much product they can put out.

Planting Date

Year in and year out, the yield gain from Early Planted Wheat proves to be great.  September planting should be the goal for many growers.  Earlier planting allows the plants to get a head start allowing for greater nutrient uptake and sunlight interception.  The early planted wheat will always have a much better root system that is robust and ready to handle the challenges of winter weather.  Also, the plant vigor boost that comes from proper seed treatment and seed placed fertilizer become exponentially greater as we trend to the cooler part of the fall.

Proper Seed Source

Using certified seed source allows for the greatest chance of success. Certified seed comes free of weeds and disease. It has professionally applied seed treatments helping to ensure every seed is viable.  Certified seed also allows for seeding rates to be set precisely, because there is a known number of seed per pound.  Allowing growers to use the latest genetics, certified seed will help maximize yield potential.  With certified seed, growers are buying guaranteed performance, and investing in the system that generates genetic advancement.

Seeding Rates

Seeding rate is one item that gets overlooked by many producers.  Some growers use the “standard” 150lbs/ac because that is what they have always done.  Although more is perceived to be better, more can actually negatively impact yield as lodging risk increases.  Matching seeding rates to calendar date and planting conditions is step one.  Growers should aim for 1.6M seeds/ac at the optimum date for their region.  Current version of Optimum Planting Date map is included below.   (Also, more info in OMAF Pub 811 Agronomy Guide).  If planting before the optimum date, reduce rates by 100,000 seeds/ac/week.  If planting past the optimum planting date, increase by 100,000 seeds/ac/week.  With new varieties on the marketplace, some offer small seed size which allows for seed savings because you will only need 120lbs/ac or less to get the desired final stand.

As an example, if a grower near London had the chance to plant on Sept 16, the target population would be 1.4mil.  If his seed tag indicated a seed size of 11,500 seeds per pound, and 97% germination, this would lead to a seeding rate of 125.5 lbs/ac.

(  Calculation:    1,400,000 / 11,500 / 0.97 = 125.5  )

Or if the same grower was not able to plant this seed until Oct 14, his new target would be 1.8mil, and seeding rate would be increased to 161.4 lbs/ac.

(  Calculation:    1,800,000 / 11,500 / 0.97 = 161.4  )

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