From chilly air to fast-growing wheat, it’s been another week of agronomic twists and regional contrasts. In this episode of Wheat Pete’s Word, host Peter Johnson tackles early forage harvest lessons, cold water imbibition in soybeans, and an important reminder about managing stripe rust and mildew under cool conditions.
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SUMMARY
- Cold spring impacts vary: Wheat is thriving; soy and corn emergence is slow but mostly safe.
- Sunshine in short supply: Cool temps are good for wheat, but cloudy days limit yield potential.
- Corn planting depth Q&A: two inches remains ideal; deeper may help, but science is still unclear.
- Soil moisture extremes: Some regions parched, others waterlogged — planting windows vary widely.
- Fusarium outlook for wheat: Heading wheat still low risk — for now. Rising temps could flip that fast.
- Stripe rust confirmed again: Overwintered rust showing up in 25R64 fields — scouting urged now.
- Mildew pressure building: Cool weather supports mildew development; fungicides offer moderate control.
- Alfalfa weevil warning: Resistance to pyrethroids seen in PA; Ontario growers should scout fields closely.
- Residue management reminder: Stemmy oat stubble can interfere with strip-till corn planting. Watch the video here.
- Cereal forage learnings: Early-planted rye and triticale deliver best yields and forage quality.
- Moisture trade-offs in double crop systems: Soybeans fare better than corn after forage harvest.
- Sulphur timing in soybeans: V2–V3 applications may help when planting green after cereal crops.
- Cold water imbibition clarified: Damage risk is real but rare; first hours after planting are key. It’s May 21 — plant soybeans!
- Waterhemp spread alert: Manure’s not the main risk — tillage gear and harvesters are.
- Don’t forget to manage cover crops: Too much or too little growth can cause planting problems.
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