Never let your wheat crop have a bad day. It’s a management philosophy that more growers are adopting as they look for ways to reduce crop stress and chase higher winter wheat yields.
But Oklahoma State University professor Dr. Brian Arnall is asking winter wheat growers to rethink that strategy. He argues that some pain and duress is actually a good thing for crop.
Earlier this winter at the Southwest Agricultural Conference at the University of Guelph’s Ridgetown campus, Arnall shared insights from more than a decade of research which highlights that stressing wheat in winter can increase yields by promoting deeper root systems and fewer, but more productive, tillers.
On this episode of RealAgriculture Wheat School, Arnall tells host Peter Johnson that stressed yellow wheat — something Wheat Pete saw plenty of in Ontario in 2024 — can produce positive affects, including shorter crop height, less lodging, and increased spikelets per spike. Arnall notes that stressed wheat often has fewer tillers but more grains per tiller, similar to how corn manages its resources.
Arnall also discusses the potential benefit stressing wheat can have on soil biome interactions, suggesting that stressed plants may release signals to improve symbiotic relationships with mycorrhizal fungi. He emphasizes the importance of adaptive nitrogen management, suggesting that letting the season play out and using precision agriculture tools like NDVI maps can help predict nitrogen needs accurately to help manage a stressed crop. Watch the video below.
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