Wheat producers Terry Woollen and Travis Woollen will host a University of Nebraska West Central Extension wheat research plot tour near Alma Thursday, June 20. The tour will begin at their field 5 miles north of Alma at 5 p.m.

Although wheat grain prices are lower, interest in this crop has been expanding due to wheat’s soil health and forage benefits. Both irrigated and rainfed crop producers are adding wheat into their expanded rotations to increase microbial diversity and biomass.  Also, wheat can provide high tonnage for forage production such as wheatlage, hay, straw and cover crop mixes.

Nebraska Extension plot tour topics and speakers will include:

• “New Genetics and Wheat Varieties Selection” – Robert Klein,  Emeritus Extension professor;
• “Cover Crops following Wheat” – Mary Drewnoski, Extension beef systems specialist; and
• “Nutrient and Manure Management following Wheat” – Todd Whitney – Extension cropping educator.

This free tour will feature 44 hard red winter wheat varieties including: Rugged, Wolf, Monument, Sunrise, Grainfield, Whistler, Eastwood, Legend, Overland, Turkey, Revere, Winterhawk, Chrome, Langin, Avenger, Robidoux, Freeman, Settler, Ruth, Breck and Tatanka.  As an added attendance incentive, a free prime rib sandwich supper will be provided by Schnuerle Seeds.

Directions: 5 miles north of Alma just west of the just west of the Highway 183 and 714 Road intersection; or 18 miles south of Holdrege on the west side of Highway 183.

For more information about the Woollen plot tour contact the Nebraska Extension offices in Harlan County (308-928-2119) and Phelps County (308-995-4222).

For information on other tours, see Wheat and Small Grain Field Days Across the State in CropWatch.