Growing Degree Days (GDD) are an indicator of expected crop development based on weather conditions. GDDs are calculated by taking the mean temperature over a day and subtracting a base temperature. For most cereal grains, the base temperature is considered 5 degrees C, as they require around 1200 GDD to reach maturity. GDD = (Tmax + Tmin)… Read More
Category: Wheat School
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Leaf rusts come in many shapes and strains and can be particularly hard to avoid, as the pathogen blows in from parts unknown (well, we know where, but that turn of phrase sounds better). What’s perhaps more troubling is there is evidence that stripe rust may have over-wintered in parts of Alberta this year. Over-wintering… Read More
Seed size can vary significantly, making planting by weight or volume alone a rather untrustworthy endeavour. So it’s no wonder calculating seeding rates based on the thousand kernel weight (TKW) of the desired crop is advised by so many researchers and agronomists. In this Wheat School, Richard Marsh of Syngenta re-joins Lyndsey Smith to compare plant stands achieved… Read More
A drawn out start to the growing season doesn’t necessarily mean a drawn out growing season. Warm days with plenty of sun and mean growing degree days accumulate quickly, sending crops through their growth stages quickly, if the moisture is there. Wheat, and in this case winter wheat, can at times throw a curve ball… Read More
If you’ve already completed your seed test, it’s likely you have an idea of the level of disease present in your wheat seed. With that, and knowledge of pests from previous years, it’s time to make a decision about seed treatment. “Treating wheat seed is an importance insurance step,” says Mitchell Japp of the Saskatchewan… Read More
Did you know that wheat seed that has been negatively impacted by glyphosate application will show no visible signs of damage? So though you may be able to see mechanical damage, there are many factors that hide beneath the surface, including disease presence and susceptibility. That’s why it’s important to send seed for a test that goes… Read More
Deciding on rates of nitrogen application for any crop can be a daunting task, but with winter wheat’s unique growing season, the choice is even further challenged by timing. Applying nitrogen in the fall can reduce the need to get in early in the spring, but could be a bit of a gamble dependent on… Read More
As the snow retreats (quickly now, get on with you), it’s time to get out there and take a good look at the winter wheat stand. There is such thing as doing a winterkill evaluation too early, but, depending on the method you use, you could need up to two weeks to get a good… Read More
As Ontario cereal specialist Peter Johnson says, farmers aren’t satisfied ’til they’ve (mentally) killed the winter wheat crop three times. So, it’s no surprise then, that as the earliest fields are appearing from under the snow (sigh, alas, not yet in all areas), many farmers are concerned with how the crop looks and whether or… Read More
The numbers for the 2013 Ontario winter wheat crop are in. This year growers averaged 80.6 bu/ac of winter wheat. Not too shabby, however, according to Peter Johnson, Cereal Specialist with the Ontario Ministry of Agriculture, what may be coming down the pipe for the 2014 crop is even better. How much better? The trend… Read More
For many farmers, seeing corn production top 200 or 250 bushels an acre simply leaves them wondering, “Why can’t wheat get over 100, 150 bushels an acre?” Winter wheat can, and certainly spring wheat does now and again, but not consistently enough to pull the averages up even into the high 90s for many farms…. Read More
The seed drill does its most precise job if running through uniform residue and soil. While there’s little you can do about soil variability, residue management is well within your power. As Peter Johnson says in this video, start your winter wheat planting pass from the combine by spreading residue uniformly. (Click here to see… Read More
Side band? Top dress? Add micros or not? When it comes to wheat production many farmers are looking to closely match crop needs with fertilizer applications, but exactly how to meet those needs brings up a host of questions. Never fear, as Peter Johnson, cereal specialist with the Ontario Ministry of Agriculture and Food, is… Read More
Phil Needham’s main message for anyone aiming for maximum wheat yields is always to pay most attention to the actual seeding pass. The potential of any crop is established at seeding and emergence, and achieving maximum potential requires quality seed, high seeding rates and the all-important precise seed placement. Several types of drills will do… Read More
The first rule of planting winter wheat is to start early. If you didn’t (and, with a late soybean harvest, that’s reasonable to expect), the next rule of planting winter wheat is to start now. That’s because the earlier in the ideal seeding window winter wheat gets in the ground, the more likely that crop… Read More