High Yield Wheat Management

1. Collect samples for soil testing. Add lime, P, K, minor, and micro elements as called for by soil test interpretations. Use yield of 80 bu/acre on lab sheet. Deep till, then prepare a good seed bed prior to seeding, keep field traffic to a minimum at this time. Do not plant on a fluffy seed bed. No-til will work if drill is set properly and the ground has been deep tilled in the spring, a deep fall tillage is best. Paratill or Terra-Max can be used with very little disturbance to the surface residue for a fall tillage.

2. Plant at a rate of 1,350,000 to 1,500,000 seed per acre (a wheat with 12,500 seed per pound will be 120 pounds of seed per acre the 1,500,000 seeding rate) or 32 to 44 seeds/sq. ft. or 18 to 28 seed/ft. of row in 7 to 8-inch row spacing or 8 to 14 seeds/ft. of row in 4-inch rows. Best planting depth is ¾ to less than 1.5 inches deep. PLEASE TREAT YOUR PLANTING SEED, THIS SHOULD GIVE YOU OVER 90% GERM AND A MUCH BETTER STAND. Insecticide plus funcicide treated seed are best (even if you are planting a fly resistance variety) or a timley fall spray for the control aphids which vector barley yellow dwarf.

3. Apply for the crop year a total of 95 to 135 lb N. per acre plus a total of 30 lbs of sulfur per acre. Three applications is the best but less will work, 25 to 45 lbs N/acre at planting (behind cotton or corn 40 to 45 lbs of N), 40 to 60 lbs/acre 15 to 30 days prior to jointing (1-15- to 2-10-) , and 20 to 30 lbs/acre at first joint stage (3-01- to 3-20-). This is for following peanuts, high residue crops may require more nitrogen. Cotton needs be considered a high residue crop. Some varities need less Nitrogen to make the same yields please do not over apply N. 

4. Use a Spring fungicide on all varieties. A spray of approved fungicide on the last day of application (at full heading or per label) is most important to help control glume blotch. Glume blotch hurts yields on the wheat heads, most funcicides do not translocate very well.

5. Know the weed history of the site and identify weeds as soon as possible. On all seed fields you must use herbicides to control such weeds as wild radish, mustard, turnips, wild onion, garlic, and primrose. Several good chemicals will help control ryegrass, if it is a problem. All ryegrass chemicals work best if ryegrass has two or less (pinning) tillers, this could be in mid December on 11-15- planted wheat or (21-28 days after planting).

Good Growing