Uncertainty is a word used often these days to describe the outlook for the winter wheat crop planted on parched areas of the Prairies this fall.
For many producers, it was a mild fall with little or no moisture. That has created questions about how much of the crop germinated and hardened off enough to survive the winter.
Producers concerned about their winter wheat crops are advised against prematurely writing them off. Next spring is the best time to appraise the fields.
But growers should work on a contingency plan so if a winter wheat crop fails, a reseeding strategy is in place.
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“There’s definitely uncertainty out there,” said Barry Rapp, a Saskatchewan Agriculture extension agrologist based in Regina. “It’s a very unusual fall.”
Ideally, a winter wheat crop will germinate and reach the three- to four-leaf stage before hardening for the winter.
There were areas where that happened this fall, but there were also places where the crop failed to get out of the ground due to lack of moisture.
Usually if winter wheat does not reach the three-leaf stage in fall, its yield potential will be reduced the following year.
Growers should keep that in mind when deciding what to do with the crop next spring.
Winter wheat that didn’t reach the three-leaf stage because of late germination should survive, provided there is an average amount of snow this winter, said Daryl Domitruk, manager of Manitoba Agriculture’s crop development section.
Snow insulates the crop against winterkill. Straw preservation through minimum or zero till helps increase the amount of snow held on fields.
Crop insurance guidelines can help producers decide whether a winter wheat crop is viable.
In Saskatchewan, anything below 45 plants per square metre is not likely to provide a viable crop. If the stand is between 45 to 60 plants per square m, growers will have to make a judgment call.
“You’ve got to really have a good look at your crop to decide whether to keep it,” said Lee Moats, president of Winter Cereals Canada.
Fields with more than 60 plants per square metre typically provide a good stand.
The time to assess the crop next spring will vary due partly to the variability of climate across the Prairies.
Spring count
Moats, a producer at Riceton, Sask., checks in mid-May. When counting the number of plants per square metre, he also takes their vigour into account.
Growers must also decide how to fertilize winter wheat fields.
Unless they applied nitrogen this fall, they will need to apply it in early spring, before the crop’s viability can be assessed. Moats recommends applying the fertilizer as soon as growers can get on the land.
If a winter wheat crop is not viable, the nitrogen will not have been wasted if a crop like canola or barley takes its place.
“It’s very critical to have nitrogen available to the winter wheat crop once it emerges in the spring to maximize its yields.”
Vernalization is also important to winter wheat crops. The crop needs a period of cooler temperatures to trigger the physiological changes that allow flowering.
Even if vernalization didn’t occur this fall because of the mild temperatures, it could still happen next spring. From his experience, Moats has found that as long as the crop grows in the spring, it will set seed.
Eric Pankratz, a producer at Foam Lake, Sask., is optimistic about his winter wheat crop.
He had good moisture this fall allowing the crop to reach the three- to four-leaf stage. The crop developed healthy crowns that hardened enough to withstand an ordinary winter, provided there is adequate snow cover.
Pankratz has grown the crop for 10 years. He has yet to encounter a failure due to dry weather.
“Winter wheat will germinate very easily. I’ve seen a couple of heavy dews germinate it.”
He said producers concerned about their winter wheat crops can dig up a sample of the seeds now to check for germination.
“If it germinated and there’s any amount of root development on it, there’s a chance for it to flourish in the spring and produce a good crop.”
He said his winter wheat crop has averaged more than 60 bushels per acre over the 10 years he has grown it.
This year the yields were below that average by almost 20 bu. per acre due to dry weather in his area.
