Although the 2004 spring wheat crop is still in the field, it is good to think ahead and explore the potential of seeding winter wheat. If it survives the winter and spring cold, winter wheat has an advantage of a longer growing season than spring wheat, because it establishes in the fall and starts growth early in the spring.

There are a number of benefits in the cropping system of seeding winter wheat.

• Winter wheat is a good weed competitor in the spring, and wild oat herbicide may not be required, saving on input costs.
• When seeded in September, the soil will be covered during the winter and will reduce the risk of wind erosion (if there is no sufficient snow cover).
• Spreading of the workload as seeding takes place in the fall instead of the busy spring, and harvesting will be earlier than spring wheat.
• Most of the Nitrogen fertilizer decisions can be made in the spring.
• Winter wheat has a great potential to tiller and fill in gaps.
• May reduce the risk of Fusarium head blight due to early development and maturity. However, none of the winter wheat varieties have much of any resistance to Fusarium head bight compared to the current spring wheat varieties.

There are, of course, also some risks associated with winter wheat production. The main risk is the survival of the crop during a harsh winter and cold spring. The price and quality of winter wheat are less than spring wheat. When the crop is treated with care (including timely seeding, right plant population, fertilizer, herbicide and fungicide applications) winter wheat can be a viable crop in the farming operation.

It is important to select varieties adapted to our region. The Minnesota Variety Trials Results booklet MP 110-2004 published in January 2004 provides information on varieties tested in Minnesota:

http://www.maes.umn.edu/maespubs/vartrial/cropages/wwhtpage.html.

North Dakota information on Hard Red Winter Wheat varieties can be found at:

http://www.ext.nodak.edu/extpubs/plantsci/smgrains/a1196w.htm

The recommended seeding period for winter wheat for Northwest Minnesota is the first week of September and for the remaining part of the state the middle part of September. Planting after the recommended dates may reduce winter survival and grain yields.

Winter wheat should be seeded at a rate to obtain one million established plants per acre. Fertilizer requirements for winter wheat are based on a soil test and yield expectations. Phosphorus aids winter survival by stimulating root growth and fall tillering. The secondary root system that develops with tillering is essential for a healthy deep-rooted plant capable of withstanding stress. Where soil test results indicate phosphorus is low, a broadcast, drill row, or banded application of the needed rate is recommended. Phosphorus placed with or near the seed is most efficient. In a dry or low moisture seedbed, the combined nitrogen and potassium applied in the drill row with the seed should not exceed 10 pounds per acre. With adequate seedbed moisture, the combined drill row application of these products should not exceed 15 pounds per acre.

Winter wheat nitrogen needs can be met in early spring. Ammonium nitrate is often superior to urea for late spring applications but should not be applied in the fall because of leaching and soil movement concerns. Spring nitrogen applications should be made as soon as possible after the crop breaks dormancy, but no later than fifth leaf stage.

No-till seeding of winter wheat into standing stubble from a previous crop is a successful method of reducing the risk of winterkill. During the winter the standing stubble traps snow. The snow cover keeps soil temperatures warm enough to allow winter wheat to overwinter. It is not recommended to plant winter wheat following a spring or winter wheat crop due to increased potential for plant diseases.

Winter wheat fits well in a rotational system with any broadleaf crop that allows timely planting. Some producers in NW MN have been experimenting with seeding winter wheat after early maturing soybeans. To determine the feasibility of soybeans to serve as a previous crop to winter wheat, an experiment is being conducted at two NW Minnesota locations (Plummer and Fosston) and two years (2003-04). At each location the trial was planted immediately following the soybean harvest. A split plot design was used in which the tillage treatment was the main plot and four winter wheat cultivars, differing in winter hardiness, were the split plots. The no-till plots were directly seeded with an air seeder. The tilled plots were first chisel plowed and prepared with a field cultivator. The 2003 results indicated that winter wheat established successfully following soybeans, despite planting four weeks later than currently is recommended. No effect of tillage or interaction between the winter hardiness and the tillage treatment was detected in 2003. The most winter hardy cultivars showed the least winterkill, the most spring vigor, and best stand.

A source for the production information about winter wheat in Northwest MM and ND can be found on the Internet: http://www.ext.nodak.edu/extpubs/plantsci/smgrains/eb33w.htm

An excellent website with information on wheat production can be found at: http://www.smallgrains.org/Production_Library/production_library.htm.

Hans Kandel Regional Extension Educator
Jochum Wiersma Small Grains Specialist