Wooster, Ohio
August 14, 2007
Pierce Paul, an
Ohio State University plant
pathologist and wheat specialist with the Ohio Agricultural
Research and Development Center, said that last fall’s poor
planting conditions and the subsequent winter kill of some of
the crop are not reducing planting intentions.
“Based on seed purchases made so far, acreage will be much
greater than last year,” said Paul, who also holds a partial
Ohio State University Extension appointment. According to the
U.S. Department of Agriculture, farmers planted 870 million
acres of wheat in 2007, 120 million acres fewer than the
previous year. But because of poor planting conditions and
less-than-ideal performance, they only harvested 780 million
acres.
Paul said it is good that growers continue to keep wheat in
their crop rotations.
“Over the years, we’ve realized that wheat in a corn or soybean
rotation adds value to those crops. It improves yield, improves
the soil quality and breaks disease cycles,” he said.
OSU Extension research has shown that adding wheat to a
corn/soybean crop rotation will increase corn and soybean yields
by an average of 5 percent.
“With today’s high commodity prices, including wheat in your
crop rotation can earn big bucks,” said Jim Beuerlein, an OSU
Extension agronomist. “Consider that the yield of $4 corn and $8
soybeans was increased 5 percent due to having wheat in the
rotation, and you are averaging 150 bushels of corn and 45
bushels of soybeans per acre. That 5 percent extra yield of corn
is worth $30 per acre and the extra bean yield is worth $18 per
acre. For 500 acres of both crops, that is $24,000 of new income
due to having wheat in the crop rotation.”
Growers are now choosing varieties for next season, and OSU
Extension just released its 2007 Ohio Wheat Performance Trial
results to assist producers in making the best variety
selections. The results can be found online at
http://www.oardc.ohio-state.edu/wheattrials/default.asp?year=2007.
The trials evaluated 63 soft red winter wheat varieties and one
soft white winter wheat variety for yield, grain quality, winter
hardiness, standability, and disease resistance under Ohio’s
environmental conditions. The varieties were tested at five
locations across the state. According to the results, 15
varieties yielded 100 bushels or more per acre.
“We emphasize to growers that variety selection is one of the
most important aspects of producing the crop, so it’s important
to understand how these varieties will perform under Ohio
conditions based on their agronomic traits,” said Paul.
Though soft red winter wheat is the crop of choice for most Ohio
growers, soft white winter wheat varieties are growing in
popularity, said Beuerlein, who also holds a partial OARDC
research appointment.
“There is no difference in culture and management between soft
white and soft red winter wheat. Soft white wheat is superior in
milling because the entire grain can be made into flour. But not
many growers are aware of the potential of soft white winter
wheat, because the market in Ohio for white wheat is not
widespread. But the demand for white wheat is growing.”
Whichever type of wheat growers choose to produce, Paul
emphasized sticking to recommended planting practices:
• Plant after the Hessian fly-safe date to reduce risks from
Hessian fly and barley yellow dwarf disease. For northern
counties, the Hessian fly-safe date is Sept. 22, and for more
southern counties the date is Oct. 4.
• Plant at the right seeding rate – 18 to 24 seeds per foot of
row for both a 7.5 and 15 inch row spacing.
• Plant at the right seeding depth – 1 to 1.5 inches deep.
• Select a variety that will perform well in the environment.
For example, if Powdery mildew is always a problem, then select
a variety with resistance to mildew.
“We’ve had some atypical years, which might encourage growers to
change their planting practices,” said Paul. “A few atypical
seasons shouldn’t sway growers from years of recommended
practices that have proven successful over time.”
For more information on wheat planting, refer to OSU Extension’s
Agronomic Crops Team Web site at
http://agcrops.osu.edu.
Ohio wheat growers produce some of the highest quality soft red
winter wheat sought after by millers and bakers in the nation.
Ohio ranks 9th overall among all winter wheat-producing states,
bringing in nearly $189 million to the state’s agricultural
industry, according to the Ohio Department of Agriculture. |
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