Targeting the Right Wheat Acres!

The leap year rule prevails! High prices drove growers to look for every available acre to plant wheat on. Then, after an incredible start to the 2008 season, Mother Nature delivered her normal leap year package of the weird, wild and wonderful. Repeated frost in May, hail in June, and right about harvest, it started to rain every day. Add to this sprouts, mildew, fusarium, black point, and ergot. Leap years! Given all these frustrations, it’s a wonder growers are even considering planting wheat this fall. But in the majority of cases, yields were good, the final quality better than expected, and we like to grow wheat! However, the lessons learned from 2008 should be heeded. Growers should refocus to plant the right acres, not just every acre.

After Beans

Whether after edibles or soybeans, this is a no brainer. JUST DO IT! The downside this year will be late harvested beans resulting in late planted wheat. That means lower yield potential. Still, this rotation works! 

After Canola

You don’t even need to ask. Planting can be early, the rotation is right, yield potential is awesome. Why wouldn’t you? 

After Silage Corn

Ouch! This one was ugly this year, at least for many growers. While the bulk of the winter wheat crop made grade 3 or better, the fields that were “feed account fusarium” could often be traced back to this rotation. So there is a risk. The upside - fusarium is the only risk, and you can often plant early on silage ground. Two management “musts” in this scenario:

• use a variety that is MR for fusarium (see "GoCereals" website), and
• spray with a fusarium fungicide.

Most years, this will be enough to get you quality wheat, and high yields to boot. 

After Hay

Wheat after alfalfa works. But why you would waste the nitrogen credit for corn (100 lbs/ac) for the credit on wheat (50 lbs/ac)?

Wheat after grass hay is a big risk because of Take-all. A root disease that infects in the fall, Take-all can rob 50% of your yield or more. In 2008, there was definitely significant Take-all in these fields. Yield impact is an estimated 10 to 30% loss. Management options in this situation are limited. Try not to plant early because the Take-all has more opportunity to infect. Using potash as a seed placed fertilizer provides some Take-all suppression. But it is still a risk! 

After Oats

Surprisingly, wheat after oats is not a bad rotation. Very few of the diseases cross over between oat and wheat. Go for it! 

After Barley

Wheat after barley is quite different than oats. Many of the root diseases cross over between barley and wheat. This is only a fair rotation at best. Management options are the same as with wheat after grass hay. Don’t plant early, and use seed placed potash. 

After Wheat

This is the worst choice of all. Leaf disease and root disease pressure will be at its maximum. You will need to spray for leaf diseases. Take-all, Eyespot and Cephalosporium stripe are all risks that there is no way to manage. Count on a minimum of a 10% yield loss. In 2008, some wheat on wheat fields had over 30% Take-all infection. Know the risk! 

Soft White

How many times do we need to sing this song? If the premium for soft white looks intriguing, remind yourself of the risk of sprouts! Be sure you add in drying costs to your calculations. Successful soft white growers don’t wait for dry wheat. Finally - DO NOT grow more soft white than you can combine in two days. Period.

Does all this mean we planted too much wheat in the fall of 2007? NO! With over 2 million acres of soybeans, there is lots of opportunity for more wheat. We just have to get those beans harvested in decent time! Plant WHEAT!!

Related Links:

• Go Cereals Website

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