About Small Grains Agronomy at NWROC...

Small Grains Management and Production

    Although acreage has dropped to record low numbers of 1,950,000 and 440,000 acres of wheat and barley, respectively, hard red spring wheat and spring barley remain the third and fourth largest crops in Minnesota (Minnesota Agricultural Statistics, 1998). Minnesota's share of the nation's HRSW production has continued to drop in recent years. Similarly, Minnesota's share of feed and malt barley production has declined sharply over the past number of years. The total spring barley acreage in Minnesota in 1998 was the lowest in sixty years (Minnesota Agricultural Statistics, 1998).

 The drop in acreage as well as productivity in recent years is largely due to delayed planting caused by wet springs and an epidemic outbreak of Fusarium head blight (Mc Mullen et al. 1997). This disease has caused dramatic yield reduction in wheat and extensive quality problems in both wheat and barley. It is also estimated that the scab epidemic has cost wheat and barley producers in North Dakota and Minnesota an estimated $1.3 billion dollars in the last 5 years (Johnson et al, 1998).

 Over ninety percent of the state's wheat and barley production is concentrated in the northwest and west central crop-reporting district (Minnesota Agricultural Statistics, 1998). The economic impact of small grain production to the State is estimated to be between $300 and $400 million annually (National Agricultural Statistics Service, 1998). Profitable small grain production is, therefore, vital to the economic well being of these districts of the State.

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Page last updated: March 15, 2006