Determining an optimum winter wheat seeding rate for your location depends on several factors. The seeding rate table and information here can help you determine a recommended rate and how to adjust it for various conditions.
Winter wheat production is being added to the slate of UNL-TAPS contests for the next year. The competition will debut at a kickoff meeting Friday, September 6, at the High Plains Ag Lab near Sidney.
This year late-season hailstorms led to increases in volunteer wheat that emerged shortly before wheat harvest. If left uncontrolled until wheat emergence in the fall, growers can expect a large buildup of mites and virus, leading to yield-robbing disease outbreaks next spring and summer.
University research in the Nebraska Panhandle suggests that changing two management strategies may help significantly reduce wheat stem sawfly pressure in winter wheat. Over the years, the sawfly has become a major pest in wheat with few known control measures.
Stephen Baenziger speaking to growers at one of the Winter Wheat Variety Trial field days. (Photo by David Ostdiek)
A review of wheat variety data from 2018-2019 shows it was an unusual year, given the above-normal precipitation in many areas, and that it might be best considered with averages from previous years when selecting wheat seed for next year.
Ideal temperatures, good moisture, and low disease pressure were the perfect conditions to achieve high winter wheat yields across much of southwest, west central, and the Panhandle of Nebraska with several counties averaging over 100 bu/ac.
Figure 6. University of Nebraska-Lincoln winter wheat variety trial (25 entries/varieties) on July 16 in Washington County hosted by Hoegermeyer Farms, southwest of Herman. (Photo by Nathan Mueller)
Nebraska Extension educators review the wheat production season in eastern Nebraska and factors affecting it, from a rough start with cool, wet conditions to a good finish.
Two- and three-year averages of data from winter wheat variety trials is now available for yield, protein, test weight, and height for rainfed trials in four wheat-growing regions and irrigated trials.
Customizable winter wheat crop production budgets can be a farm management tool as you look at costs and possible cost-savings areas for the next crop.
Using a stripper header can leave significant standing residue to catch more snow in winter and reduce soil moisture evaporation. It also will taken longer to decompose, protecting the soil over a longer period. (Photos by Bob Klein)
Due to the late wheat harvest throughout western Nebraska, weeds growing in unharvested fields grew much longer than usual. In some fields weeds matured and produced seed. These weed control measures and residue management will be particularly important for the next wheat crop.
Irrigation
Water is flowing again in the Gering-Fort Laramie and Goshen Irrigation Canal and tunnel
Water began flowing in the Gering-Fort Laramie and Goshen irrigation canal early Aug. 28 for the first time in about six weeks. Repairs to a canal tunnel are enough to allow water flow, but likely are not permanent. Our story includes a slideshow and three time-lapse videos of crops growing in the affected area.
Cover Crops
Figure 1. Severely hail-damaged corn field where the ears are the top-most part of the plant. Following severe hail damage, cover crops can offer a variety of benefits from using available nitrogen to aiding weed control. (Photos by Jenny Rees)
Late-season hail has impacted fields across Nebraska. Growers may want to consider the value of cover crops for weed management, excess nitrogen uptake, and forage options.
Cover crops help suppress weeds as shown here with a grain sorghum cover crop growing in wheat stubble on the left compared to no cover crop on the right. If you don’t grow something, Mother Nature will. The field day will show some of the benefits of using cover crops to control weeds, including marestail and Palmer amaranth.
This tour will feature cover crop cocktails that serve specific functions as well as cover crops growing in wheat stubble, cover crop recovery after simulated grazing, and row crops growing in the residue from cover crops.
Dry Edible Bean Production
Nebraska ranks second in production of dry edible beans; however, this year drought and hail took a toll on dry edible beans in western Nebaska. For those harvests that don't meet the grade for human consumption, livestock feed may be an option.
In some areas of western Nebraska hail and drought took a toll on dry edible beans this year, reducing the feasability of harvesting them for rigorous human consumption standards. Consider these other options for their use.
Grain Sorghum Production
Figure 1. Check out sorghum field trials and visit with researchers about their findings and the potential for growing sorghum in the Panhandle at a Sept. 5 Field Day near Gordon.
Research on sorghum varieties, production methods, and the crop’s potential for the Panhandle will be the focus of a Nebraska Extension Grain Sorghum Field Day Sept. 5 near Gordon.
The Distinguished Service Award recognizes outstanding effort in teaching, control of a significant plant disease, or service to the science of plant pathology. In nominating Harveson, his peers touted his work across multiple areas.
