Most of this fall’s winter wheat crop will go into wet fields that weren’t seeded in spring.
The result will be perfect growing conditions for perennial weeds and excellent germination for winter annuals and broadleaf weeds.
The weeds got going early this spring because there was no soil disturbance and no competition from a crop, said Ken Sapsford, a research assistant at the University of Saskatchewan’s plant science’s department.
However, it’s not a total disaster.
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“Producers can most definitely pull something out of this situation by seeding winter wheat this fall. They can potentially turn those acres into a profitable crop for 2011,” he said.
“We usually have a problem with winter wheat establishment because the preceding crop has used up all the moisture. But this year is just the opposite. The moisture is there so it’s an ideal situation for winter wheat. Plus you don’t need to wait to get your crop off the field.”
Many of the 12 million water logged acres are still wet and need actively growing plants to suck up the moisture.
Farmers who chem fallow this summer without seeding a new crop will leave their land in the same water logged condition next spring.
Sapsford warns against tillage because weeds laid out on wet soil will simply continue growing.
He said chem fallow followed by winter wheat is a good way to deal with the situation.
Another bright spot is that good growing conditions mean herbicides are working well this summer.
“There’s no waxy coating on the leaves and no dust. The weeds are actively growing so they take up the herbicides,” Sapsford said. “The only places where herbicides are not as effective would be low spots where the weeds are so water logged they’re already suffering badly.”
Sapsford said producers who plan to seed winter wheat into wet fields this fall first need to achieve good control on their perennials.
Some of the main culprits are Canada thistle, dandelions and foxtail barley. They will become a bigger problem if they remain in winter wheat fields because they’re all highly competitive with the crop.
“You want to get those perennials when they’re actively growing,” he said.
“Once the plant is flowering or has produced its seed set, that’s the trigger for it to start feeding the roots. That’s when you want to spray.
“The end of July or early August is an ideal time to control Canada thistle with a high rate of glyphosate because the plants are in the bud stage.
“Foxtail barley has already headed out, too, so the seeds have set and you’ll need to deal with the seedlings in the future, but it may be a good time to control the perennial.”
Although late July and early August is not normally a good time to spray dandelions, Sapsford said this year is different.
The weed usually shuts down by this time of year and doesn’t actively grow again until fall.
However, this year’s moisture has kept dandelions actively growing, especially with no shading or competition from a crop.
“You should get good dandelion control with a high rate of glyphosate along with something like Express or PrePass.”
Sapsford doesn’t think the heavy foliage will prevent herbicides from hitting their target.
“Everything that’s out there growing in those unseeded fields is a weed. The weeds are large and they have big leaves. They can’t hide under a crop canopy. Spray it.”
He said timing of the chem fallow application is critical. Waiting too long will let weeds such as kochia grow 60 centimetres tall and set seeds that will be a problem in a field for the next 10 years.
The other problem with letting weeds grow too tall is that the large plants will plug an air seeder.
“Instead of harrowing it down, a lot of guys will let the weed stubble remain for snow catch,” Sapsford said.
“Winter wheat won’t survive on bare soil. On the other hand, you have to be able to seed through it.
“I’ve seen farmers in this situation take the canvas off their swather and go through their standing weed stubble to cut it down to the height they want for seeding. It works well because you can adjust the cutter bar to whatever height you want. And you can move along pretty quickly.”
Winter annuals such as shepherds purse, stinkweed and flixweed have characteristics similar winter wheat. They germinate and grow in the fall, go dormant for the winter and then spring back to life in April. A wet fall gives the winter annuals a better start.
Sapsford said these weeds are easy to control with 2-4, D as well as other products. The application can take place from late September to late October.
“The winter annuals have usually stopped growing by late October, but you still get good control,” he said.
“It’s more difficult to control these weeds if you wait until spring, plus it requires higher rates in the spring. You shouldn’t worry about the wild oats and green foxtail that germinates in the fall, because they’ll winter kill.”
He said herbicides for broadleaf weeds in winter wheat can be applied anytime before the flag leaf stage.
Sapsford said producers who don’t want to grow winter wheat have another weed control option for their unseeded fields.
“Spray the weeds you have now, then plant any kind of cereal crop to suck up moisture and compete with new weeds that come up,” he said.
“Then, just before the flag leaf stage, go in with glyphosate to kill the crop and any new weeds that have emerged. It’s like a green manure crop without the tillage.”
For more information, contact Sapsford at 306-966-4999 or e-mail k.sapsford@usask.ca.
WINTER WHEAT FINANCIAL INCENTIVES
Producers who plan to seed winter wheat this fall may be eligible for financial incentives up to a maximum of $11 per acre plus Canadian Wheat Board bonuses for protein.
All prairie producers can receive up to $7 per acre from Bayer Crop Sciences:
•$2 per eligible acre savings on Raxil MD seed treatment
•$2 per eligible acre savings on Infinity broadleaf herbicide
•$2 per eligible acre savings on Folicur
•$1 per acre for seeding winter wheat into InVigor stubble
Ducks Unlimited will also provide $4 per eligible acre to producers who plant winter wheat this fall in targeted waterfowl nesting areas.
Eligible acres are those in excess of the previous three-year winter wheat seeded acreage on each farm. For example:
•if 2007 -zero winter wheat acres
•and 2008 -300 winter wheat acres
•and 2009 -zero winter wheat acres again
•then the three year average is 100 winter wheat acres
•All winter wheat acres above 100 seeded this fall will be eligible for the $4 per acre incentive from Ducks Unlimited.
The wheat board will continue its select program, paying a $10 per tonne premium for select varieties if they meet the minimum 11 percent protein.
There is an additional 30 cent premium for each one-tenth of a percent protein over 11 percent, which pencils out to $3 per tonne. There are eight eligible varieties:
•CDC Buteo
•Radiant
•McClintock
•AC Bellatrix
•AC Readymade
•AC Tempest
•CDC Osprey
•Norstar
For more information, visitwww.wintercereals.ca/ and
