Wheat Production & Wheat Production & ManagementManagement

Ed TwidwellEd Twidwell

LSU AgCenterLSU AgCenter

School of Plant, School of Plant, Environmental & Environmental & Soil SciencesSoil Sciences

Wheat production in Wheat production in Louisiana:Louisiana:

Wheat acreage fluctuates with priceWheat acreage fluctuates with price

Last 10 years, acreage has been between Last 10 years, acreage has been between 100,000 & 150,000 acres100,000 & 150,000 acres

In 1985 acreage was about 500,000 In 1985 acreage was about 500,000 acresacres

Expecting over 300,000 acres to be Expecting over 300,000 acres to be planted in 2007planted in 2007

Type of Wheat Grown in Type of Wheat Grown in LouisianaLouisiana

Soft red winter wheatSoft red winter wheat

Used for cakes, pastries, crackersUsed for cakes, pastries, crackers

This wheat is grown throughout the This wheat is grown throughout the southern USA up through Illinois & Indianasouthern USA up through Illinois & Indiana

Other types: hard red winter, hard red Other types: hard red winter, hard red spring, & white wheat are grown in other spring, & white wheat are grown in other regionsregions

Advantages of Producing Advantages of Producing WheatWheat

Provides cash flow in the late springProvides cash flow in the late spring

Works well in a double-cropping Works well in a double-cropping system with soybeanssystem with soybeans

Reduces soil erosion during the Reduces soil erosion during the winter and spring monthswinter and spring months

Problems With Growing Problems With Growing WheatWheat

Wheat is not treated as a major crop Wheat is not treated as a major crop by many producersby many producers

Difficult environmental conditions:Difficult environmental conditions: Wet soils during the fall & winterWet soils during the fall & winter High humidity during the springHigh humidity during the spring Excessive rainfall prior to harvestExcessive rainfall prior to harvest

Key PointKey Point In order for In order for

wheat to be wheat to be grown grown successfully in successfully in Louisiana:Louisiana:

It needs to be It needs to be treated as a treated as a major crop!major crop!

Land SelectionLand Selection

Wheat does not tolerate poor Wheat does not tolerate poor drainage very welldrainage very well

Wheat should be planted on the Wheat should be planted on the most well-drained soils availablemost well-drained soils available

Land PreparationLand Preparation

Conventional:Conventional:

Seedbed preparation should be Seedbed preparation should be thorough enough to incorporate thorough enough to incorporate existing vegetation and permit existing vegetation and permit uniform plantinguniform planting

Seeding RateSeeding Rate LSU Ag Center recommended rate is 60 LSU Ag Center recommended rate is 60

to 120 pounds/acre, depending upon to 120 pounds/acre, depending upon conditionsconditions

A rate of 60-75 pounds/acre should be A rate of 60-75 pounds/acre should be sufficient if high quality seed is selected sufficient if high quality seed is selected and planted into a good seedbed with and planted into a good seedbed with adequate moistureadequate moisture

For any seedbed that is “less than ideal”, For any seedbed that is “less than ideal”, the seeding rate should be adjusted the seeding rate should be adjusted upwards between 75 and 120 pounds/acreupwards between 75 and 120 pounds/acre

Louisiana ResearchLouisiana ResearchSeed rateSeed rate YieldYield PlantsPlants TillersTillers--lb/A----lb/A-- -bu/A--bu/A- #/sq ft#/sq ft #/plant#/plant

1515 76 76 4.6 4.6 9.8 9.83030 89 89 9.0 9.0 4.9 4.96060 91 91 13.3 13.3 3.2 3.29090 92 92 23.8 23.8 2.1 2.1120120 90 90 29.4 29.4 1.6 1.6Mascagni et. alMascagni et. al

Arkansas ResearchArkansas Research Seeding rate (lb/A)Seeding rate (lb/A) Yield (bu/A)Yield (bu/A)

3030 68686060 72729090 7575120120 7777150150 7474180180 7777

Seeding MethodSeeding Method Drill: Preferred MethodDrill: Preferred Method

Reduces seeding rate (60-75 Reduces seeding rate (60-75 pounds/A)pounds/A)

Ensures good soil-to-seed contactEnsures good soil-to-seed contact Provides excellent control of seeding Provides excellent control of seeding

depthdepth Provides more uniform standsProvides more uniform stands

Broadcasting: Widely Broadcasting: Widely UsedUsed

Broadcast seed and then harrow or Broadcast seed and then harrow or disk the seed into the grounddisk the seed into the ground

Major problem: random seeding depth Major problem: random seeding depth and soil is not firmed around the seedsand soil is not firmed around the seeds

Firming the soil after seeding with a Firming the soil after seeding with a cultipacker may helpcultipacker may help

Seeding rate: At least 75-120 Seeding rate: At least 75-120 pounds/acrepounds/acre

No-tillNo-till Could be a useful seeding method on Could be a useful seeding method on

highly erodible soils or in wet soil highly erodible soils or in wet soil conditionsconditions

Research studies from several states Research studies from several states show little or no yield differences show little or no yield differences between conventional and no-till between conventional and no-till plantingsplantings

No-till, cont.No-till, cont. No-till planting into soybean residue No-till planting into soybean residue

is idealis ideal

Residue management is important Residue management is important with cornwith corn

May need to increase seeding rate by May need to increase seeding rate by 10% if planting into heavy residue10% if planting into heavy residue

Planting DatePlanting Date

North Louisiana: October 15 to North Louisiana: October 15 to November 15November 15

Central & South Louisiana: Central & South Louisiana: November 1 to 30November 1 to 30

Major ProblemMajor Problem

Growers typically want to plant wheat Growers typically want to plant wheat before the recommended planting before the recommended planting datesdates

They do so because they worry about They do so because they worry about excessive fall rains keeping them from excessive fall rains keeping them from planting wheat on time or not at allplanting wheat on time or not at all

Early-Planted WheatEarly-Planted Wheat

Excessive fall and winter growth makes Excessive fall and winter growth makes wheat more prone to spring freezeswheat more prone to spring freezes

Excessive fall and early spring growth Excessive fall and early spring growth can make wheat more prone to early can make wheat more prone to early spring wheat diseasesspring wheat diseases

Don’t fertilize too heavy with N initiallyDon’t fertilize too heavy with N initially

Late-Planted WheatLate-Planted Wheat Yields can be reduced if planting is Yields can be reduced if planting is

delayed until mid-Decemberdelayed until mid-December Late-planted wheat study in 1991-92Late-planted wheat study in 1991-92 Planting dates of normal (early Planting dates of normal (early

November) & late (mid-December) at 4 November) & late (mid-December) at 4 locationslocations

Normal: Mean yield of 44 bushels/ANormal: Mean yield of 44 bushels/A Late: Mean yield of 32 bushels/ALate: Mean yield of 32 bushels/A

RecommendationRecommendation If growers insist on planting early, they If growers insist on planting early, they

must make sure they DO NOT plant an must make sure they DO NOT plant an early-maturing varietyearly-maturing variety

They should plant a later-maturing They should plant a later-maturing varietyvariety

Can look at the LSU AgCenter website Can look at the LSU AgCenter website for data on heading datesfor data on heading dates

Wheat Varieties for Wheat Varieties for LouisianaLouisiana

VarietyVariety MaturityMaturityLA 482LA 482 EarlyEarlyAGS 2000AGS 2000EarlyEarlyLA 841LA 841 EarlyEarlyUSG 3209USG 3209 MediumMediumPioneer 26R61Pioneer 26R61 MediumMediumCoker 9553Coker 9553 LateLateTV 8558TV 8558 LateLatePanolaPanola LateLate

RecommendationRecommendation

The early-maturing varieties should The early-maturing varieties should be planted during the recommended be planted during the recommended planting dates or laterplanting dates or later

Planting DepthPlanting Depth A depth of about 1 to 1.5 inches is A depth of about 1 to 1.5 inches is

adequateadequate

Depth (in.)Depth (in.) Emergence (%)Emergence (%)11 959522 767633 313144 4 4

Freeze DamageFreeze Damage Mainly a problem with early-planted wheatMainly a problem with early-planted wheat Difficult to assess because freezing Difficult to assess because freezing

frequently injures only part of the wheat frequently injures only part of the wheat spike or only plants in certain parts of the spike or only plants in certain parts of the fieldfield

After a freeze, late tillers are produced After a freeze, late tillers are produced that have the capability of still producing a that have the capability of still producing a decent grain yielddecent grain yield

Yield of these late tillers is determined by Yield of these late tillers is determined by environmental conditionsenvironmental conditions

Growth Stage ImportantGrowth Stage ImportantGrowth stageGrowth stage Low temp (2 hrs)Low temp (2 hrs) EffectEffectJointingJointing 2424 Mod.Mod.BootBoot 2828 Mod.Mod.HeadingHeading 3030 SevereSevereFloweringFlowering 3030 SevereSevereMilkMilk 2828 Mod.Mod.DoughDough 2828 SlightSlightKansas State Univ.Kansas State Univ.

Wheat Stand RatingsWheat Stand Ratings Should a grower keep or destroy a stand?Should a grower keep or destroy a stand? Ideally would like to have 25-35 plants/sq Ideally would like to have 25-35 plants/sq

ftft

< 4 plants/sq ft< 4 plants/sq ft BadBad 4-12 plants/sq ft4-12 plants/sq ft Look at vigor & Look at vigor &

uniformity uniformity

> 12 plants/sq ft> 12 plants/sq ft Most likely keepMost likely keep

Wheat Tillering Can Wheat Tillering Can Compensate For Low Plant Compensate For Low Plant

PopulationsPopulationsSeeding rateSeeding rate Plants/sq ftPlants/sq ft Tillers/plantTillers/plant---lb/acre------lb/acre---

5656 1111 7.67.68080 1919 5.45.4112112 3333 3.63.6224224 4545 3.03.0Kansas State Univ.Kansas State Univ.

Wheat for Grazing & Wheat for Grazing & GrainGrain

Probably not a good ideaProbably not a good idea

Almost any type of grazing will cause Almost any type of grazing will cause damage to the wheat grain yield, damage to the wheat grain yield, especially under wet conditionsespecially under wet conditions

Absolutely need dry conditionsAbsolutely need dry conditions Question: Is it worth the risk?Question: Is it worth the risk?

Winnsboro ResearchWinnsboro ResearchGrazing TerminationGrazing Termination 19801980 19811981

---Yield (bu/A)------Yield (bu/A)---CheckCheck 3939 45 45

March 1March 1 2323 23 23

March 15March 15 6 6 25 25Viator, et al.Viator, et al.

Feekes ScaleFeekes Scale

Why is this scale Why is this scale important?important?

Many herbicide and fungicide labels Many herbicide and fungicide labels will use this scale when describing will use this scale when describing when the products should be appliedwhen the products should be applied

It is a “universal” scale that is used It is a “universal” scale that is used throughout the United Statesthroughout the United States

Feekes ScaleFeekes Scale TilleringTillering Stem ExtensionStem Extension HeadingHeading FloweringFlowering RipeningRipening

1-51-5 6-106-10 10.1-10.510.1-10.5 10.51-10.5410.51-10.54 11.1-11.411.1-11.4

Feekes Scale 3Feekes Scale 3 Tillers formedTillers formed Most of the tillers Most of the tillers

that contribute to that contribute to grain yield potential grain yield potential are completed are completed during this stageduring this stage

Many weed control Many weed control decisions should be decisions should be made before or made before or during this stageduring this stage

Feekes Stage 4Feekes Stage 4 Beginning of erect Beginning of erect

growthgrowth Most tillers have Most tillers have

been formed by this been formed by this stagestage

Secondary root Secondary root system is system is developingdeveloping

Growing point is Growing point is still below the soilstill below the soil

Feekes Stage 5Feekes Stage 5 Plant becomes Plant becomes

strongly erectstrongly erect All meaningful tiller All meaningful tiller

development has development has ceasedceased

Growing point is still Growing point is still below the soil levelbelow the soil level

Ideal stage for spring Ideal stage for spring topdressing of Ntopdressing of N

Difficult stage to Difficult stage to determine!!!!!!!!!determine!!!!!!!!!

Feekes Stage 6Feekes Stage 6 First node visible First node visible

(jointing)(jointing) Relatively easy to Relatively easy to

determine this determine this stagestage

Use knife to split Use knife to split stemsstems

The first node is The first node is swollen and swollen and appears above the appears above the soil surfacesoil surface

Stage 6, cont.Stage 6, cont. Some herbicides should not be applied Some herbicides should not be applied

after this stageafter this stage

Excellent stage to make spring Excellent stage to make spring topdressing of Ntopdressing of N

Growers need to be monitoring their Growers need to be monitoring their stands and know how to determine this stands and know how to determine this growth stagegrowth stage

Feekes Stage 8Feekes Stage 8 Flag leaf visibleFlag leaf visible Flag leaf makes up Flag leaf makes up

about 75% of the about 75% of the effective leaf area effective leaf area that contributes to that contributes to grain fillgrain fill

Decisions regarding Decisions regarding some fungicide some fungicide applications should applications should be madebe made

Feekes Stage 10Feekes Stage 10 Boot stageBoot stage

Head is fully Head is fully developed, but developed, but has not yet has not yet emerged from emerged from the leaf sheath the leaf sheath below the flag below the flag leafleaf

SummarySummary Treat wheat like you would other cropsTreat wheat like you would other crops

Encourage growers to not plant too earlyEncourage growers to not plant too early

Prepare a good seedbed and avoid wet Prepare a good seedbed and avoid wet areasareas

Listen closely to the remaining Listen closely to the remaining presentationspresentations

Questions?Questions?