winter wheat webinar
DESCRIPTION
WINTER WHEAT WEBINAR. Why your Customers should be growing Winter Wheat. Paul Thoroughgood P.Ag Ducks Unlimited Canada. Show me the Money!. Winter Wheat is consistently a top performing crop across the Prairies Allows improved use of capital - PowerPoint PPT PresentationTRANSCRIPT
WINTER WHEAT WEBINAR
Why your Customers should be growing Winter Wheat
Paul Thoroughgood P.AgDucks Unlimited Canada
Show me the Money!
• Winter Wheat is consistently a top performing crop across the Prairies
• Allows improved use of capital
• Provides “insurance” against inclement weather during May
and September
• Facilitation of more timely management of spring seeded crops
• Rotational benefits to other crops
• Expands grain marketing window
• Provides an ecological tool to manage herbicide resistance and pests
• Increases financial sustainability
Show me the Money!
Caring for our Environment
• Winter cereals are the only annual crop shown to provide productive nesting habitat for waterfowl
• Benefits to other ground nesting birds
• Increased productivity per acre
Long Term Adoption
• 2/3 of growers who have tried winter wheat with DUC have made it part of their long term rotation
• Many of these growers have become “repeat customers” in other DUC programs
Planning for Success
Mark Akins P.Ag CCADucks Unlimited Canada
Planning is Key
• Planning is involved in growing all crops
• Winter wheat requires special attention – stubble needed for seeding – planning also makes
seeding at harvest simpler and less stressful
Planning=profitable winter wheat
Plan for Stubble
• Start planning for winter wheat prior to seeding your spring crop
• Choose a crop that provides adequate snow trapping
• Stubble must be available in Aug 15 to Sept 15 seeding window
Plan for Stubble
• Attention to seeding date, crop types and/or variety if crops generally mature late– Weatherman-ager at
www.wintercereals.ca
• Plans may not always come through so have a “plan B” crop in mind
The Weatherman-ager
Physiological Maturity Date
05 Aug 10 Aug 15 Aug 20 Aug 25 Aug 30 Aug 04 Sep 09 Sep 14 Sep 19 Sep
01 May 4 17 50 70 87 94 98 100 100 100
05 May 2 13 43 67 83 89 98 100 100 100
10 May 2 9 35 57 74 85 93 96 100 100
15 May 2 6 28 54 69 80 87 93 94 98
20 May 2 2 11 44 63 74 85 89 94 98
25 May 0 2 6 22 50 67 76 85 87 94
30 May 0 0 2 9 30 50 65 81 85 87
04 Jun 0 0 0 2 15 31 48 69 81 87
09 Jun 0 0 0 0 2 11 28 43 59 69
Prince Albert, Saskatchewan (4056240)The table below was generated from Environment Canada weather station data collected from 1945 to 1998.Crops - Argentine Canola
Harvesting Stubble Crop
• Winter wheat is most successful when direct seeded into standing stubble
– Cut stubble as high as possible– Spread straw and
chaff evenly over the field
– Avoid excessive traffic in field access points and headlands
Logistics
• Prepare equipment early
• Have seed ready
• Fill the drill
• Plan for getting inputs to the field
• May want to swap seeding and harvest with a trusted neighbor
Seeding Opportunities
• Multi-tasking doesn’t always work
• Take advantage of the weather
• Use GPS and auto-steer to make the most of your day
• The first year is the most challenging
Seeding Musts
Melissa Stanford, AgrologistDucks Unlimited Canada
1. Seed Early
Timing:• North – August 15 - 20• Central – August 25 - September 5• South – No later than September 15
• Don’t delay seeding to wait for moisture!– Waiting too long results in 5-10% yield loss per
week delayed
2. Seed Shallow• Optimal depth = better seedling vigor and
winter hardiness
• ½”-1” deep
• Target is 3-4 leaf stage prior to freeze up
3. Seed Into Stubble
• Standing stubble does it all
• The best crops for stubble
• How much stubble is enough?
3. Seed Into Stubble, cont’d
• Adequate Snow Trapping Potential– Pre-seeding 40 or
greater– Post-seeding 20 or
greater
STP = stubble height in cm × # stems/m2
100
4. Seed Heavy
• 1.5-2.5 bushels per acre
• Target plant populations:– Fall: 30 plants/sq.ft.– Spring: 18-23 plants/sq.ft.
Consider 1000 kernel weight and germination
5. Other Considerations
• Manage straw and chaff at harvest
• Apply phosphate with the seed and some starter nitrogen
• Consider a pre- or post-harvest glyphosate application for a clean start
• Be mindful of potential herbicide residue issues
Questions?
Thank you for joining us today.