Unplanted Treated Wheat Seed: DANG!!

FRUSTRATION! Mother Nature has managed to deep six all our excellent plans for another big wheat crop here in Ontario. Meanwhile, many of us have wheat seed all ready to go in the ground - cleaned, treated, and in the auger wagon. How do we keep that treated seed for next year, and maintain maximum yield potential? 

Keep it Dry!!

While this statement seems self evident, it is the number one culprit for destroying held-over seed. If you can keep the seed in the wagon, great. If you need to empty the wagon, find totes to put it in. Be sure to put the totes on pallets, as wheat can draw moisture from almost any floor. And be sure to check the seed once a month. It is amazing how often roofs that “don’t leak” will have condensation or drips that, over time, will have the seed green and growing. 

Keep it Separate!

Don’t contaminate augers or bins used for commercial grain as you move wheat seed into storage. Pink seed in a wagon load of grain will cause immediate refusal of the grain. 

Control Rodents!

Wheat seems to attract mice and rats more than any other grain. The back corner of the shed becomes a haven for rodents if an unending source of food is available (a tote of wheat). Bait stations around the storage area are a must.  

Control Insects!

Wheat also seems to be more attractive to storage insects than most other grains. Treated seed is protected from fungal disease, but not from insect attack. Diatomaceous earth is the simple solution to protect seed. When transferring seed into totes, add diatomaceous earth at an appropriate rate. If seed is left in the seed wagon, spread some diatomaceous earth over the surface of the grain mass. 

Cool the Grain

While this may not always be possible, seed maintains viability best when stored in a cool, dry environment. If possible, grain should be cooled to 10 °C or less. 

Monitor!

Don’t go south for the winter and expect all things to be fine next spring or fall. Mark on your calendar to check that wheat seed every second Monday. And then remind your neighbours when you are down at the coffee shop. 

Properly stored, wheat seed can be easily kept from one season to another. Seed from this past harvest was mostly of good quality. If you follow the suggestions above, all you will need to add next fall is a germination test, and your wheat seed should be ready to produce another record wheat yield for the harvest of 2008!

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