Extension Report

Baldwin County Extension Office

302A Byrne Street

Bay Minette, AL  36507

Telephone (251) 937-7176 or

928-0860/943-5061 ext. 2222

FAX (251) 937-7285

Richard Petcher

Regional Extension Agent/Agronomic Crops

October 19, 2010

Wheat Planting Tips

Since many growers have not been able to purchase as much wheat seed as they had hoped, here are a few tips on stretching your seed. Research primarily in Arkansas, but in Mississippi and Louisiana also has shown very little difference in final wheat yield from a 40 pound to 140 pound per acre seeding rate at planting. Management of your crop is more important. Thirty five seed per square foot with a final stand of 25 seed per square feet is the planting recommendation. One tiller per square foot is typically equal to one bushel at harvest. Twenty five plants that make 3 tillers each should theoretically yield 75 bushel wheat.  Likewise, 20 plants with 5 tillers each should yield 100 bushel wheat. Growers can cut back seeding rate and still expect respectable yields. Typically the higher the seeding rate the less tillers per plant and the lower seeding rate the higher the plants per acre. So a grower can stretch his seed over more acres. 

Several important factors:  Know your seed per pound when calculating seeding rate. Bennie and Matt Watson for example found 5,000 seed per pound difference in several different varieties of wheat planted a few years ago. So focus seed per square foot and acre verses pounds of seed per acre.  When cutting back seeding rate, only plant under ideal conditions. Consider applying a little fall Nitrogen to get faster seedling growth before winter. And keep weed competition at a minimal. If you as a grower are not comfortable cutting back the seeding rate, try it on a few acres and test this for yourself before doing this on a large scale.   

“Cover Your Soil This Winter”

Do not underestimate the “Power of the Raindrop and Wind” on your bare soil this winter. Conservationists tell us these two elements have more damaging effect on our soils than we realize.

One of the best ways and easiest methods of recapturing the residual Nitrogen from peanuts and soybeans is to plant tillage radish and at the same time cover your soil. From Virginia north, growers are planting 150,000 acres of tillage radish at this time in order to provide winter cover for their crops. In the South, growers can plant tillage radish and recapture the residual nitrogen from peanuts and soybeans. The radish when terminated in the spring will release the nitrogen in a form that is more readily available for the next crop, while providing deep tillage to the soil, reducing nematodes and provide a winter cover for your land. The tillage radish may also be planted into winter pasture mixes to enhance grazing while tilling the soil.  Feed is available at Tucker Farm Supply in Frisco City, 251-267-3104.

Email address: rpetcher@aces.edu

Phone number: 937-7176 or 943-5061, 928-0860, ext. 2222

The Alabama Cooperative Extension System (Alabama A&M and Auburn Universities) in cooperation with the U.S. Department of Agriculture is an equal opportunity educator and employer.