NEWS for North Dakotans
Agriculture Communication, North Dakota State University
7 Morrill Hall, Fargo, ND 58105-5665

August 27, 1998

NDSU Agronomist Says Winter Wheat Worth Serious Consideration

Winter wheat has the potential to be a highly productive crop in North Dakota, says a plant scientist at North Dakota State University. Advantages of winter wheat include more efficient use of labor and machinery, reduced weed problems—particularly wild oat—and often a higher yield potential. But winter wheat is not without risk.

"Well-developed winter wheat is less likely to suffer from early season moisture stress than spring-planted small grains since a well-developed root system enables the winter wheat crop to use sub-soil moisture," says Michael D. Peel, extension agronomist at NDSU. "Earlier crop development also helps in avoiding some disease and insect pressure."

But Peel cautions producers that winter wheat is no more resistant to Fusarium head blight (scab) than spring wheat. Even so, with a two- to three-week developmental advantage it may avoid late infection periods that will affect spring wheat.

Another problem plaguing hard red spring wheat producers has been the orange wheat blossom midge. These insects lay eggs only in developing heads between head emergence and flowering. Because flowering in winter wheat will be complete before the midge emerge, it will effectively avoid the pest.

Well-established winter wheat is more competitive with summer annual weeds than spring cereal grains, resulting in less dependence on chemical weed control, says Peel. A healthy stand of winter wheat has good ground cover, which shades the soil and acts as a strong competitive force against weed growth. Wild oats, one of the worst weed pests in North Dakota, is rarely a problem in winter wheat.

Planting and fertilizing the crop in the fall lightens spring-planting work loads. Likewise, since winter wheat will be ready for harvest two to three weeks before spring wheat, the harvest work load is also spread out. Spreading out planting and harvest makes for more efficient use of machinery.

As for the downside, Peel says, "Winter survival is the most critical factor in successfully producing a winter wheat crop in the Northern Plains."

It's important for producers to use cultural practices that increase snow cover, which helps maintain warmer soil temperatures in the crown area. NDSU research indicates that a minimum of 3 inches of snow cover is necessary to prevent winterkill due to low temperatures. While 3 inches of snow is sufficient protection during most of our winters, 4 to 6 inches will further reduce the extent of crown injury and increase stand survival, Peel says.

Several methods can be used to enhance snow cover. For example, winter wheat can be no-till seeded directly into flax, barley, mustard, sunflower, or other standing crop residues left to catch the snow.

"Seeding into wheat or durum stubble will increase the risk of some diseases," Peel says, "but even this practice is often preferred to seeding into clean-tilled fields, particularly in more arid areas where disease is less of a problem, since the stubble will enhance moisture conservation and protection from cold weather."

To avoid a "green bridge" for movement of wheat streak mosaic virus, volunteer wheat and grass weeds should be controlled two weeks prior to planting. Grain stubble should be left at least 6 inches tall to obtain the minimum snow cover required. For bare fallow, stubble mulch or chemical fallow fields, hoe drills can improve the chances of winter survival. Hoe drills, which permit deeper seed placement, also produce furrows over the seed row that can trap snow.

"Stands of winter wheat are often reduced due to winter injury," says Peel. "Don't be too hasty in destroying these stands. It may be mid-April, or later, before recovery is evident. Remember winter wheat will readily tiller, and stands of only eight to 10 plants per square foot will produce very good yields."

Even when a stand of winter wheat doesn't survive the winter, the cropping season is not lost. Generally, another early season crop can be planted.

The recommended seeding dates for winter wheat are Sept. 10 to Sept. 30 in the southern half of North Dakota and Sept. 1 to Sept. 15 in the north. Planting after the recommended dates may reduce winter survival and grain yields and also delay maturity of the succeeding crop. Planting prior to the recommended date unnecessarily depletes soil moisture reserves, increases risk of disease and may reduce winter survival.

Winter wheat should be seeded at a rate of 1 million viable seeds per acre or about 80 pounds per acre. Higher seeding rates are suggested for late seeding or for poor seedbed conditions.

Peel says producers should consider planting only the most winter-hardy varieties that also offer good yield potential. Those varieties include Roughrider, Agassiz, Seward and Elkhorn.

Additional information on winter wheat production is available through the following NDSU Extension Service publications: "1997 North Dakota Hard Red Spring Wheat/Hard Red Winter Wheat Variety Performance Descriptions" (A574); "Fertilizing Hard Red Spring Wheat, Durum, Winter Wheat and Rye" (SF712); "Winter Wheat Production in North Dakota" (EB No.33); and "North Dakota Fertilizer Handbook" (EB No.65).

Producers with Internet access can find detailed agronomic information on available winter wheat varieties via the North Dakota Small Grains Web page at this address:

http://www.ag.ndsu.nodak.edu/aginfo/smgrains.

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Source: Michael D. Peel (701) 231-8037

Editor: Dean Hulse (701) 231-6136