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Assessing Winter Wheat Stands
2/24/2005
Ron F. Meyer
Area Extension Agent
(Agronomy)
Colorado State University Extension
Golden Plains
Area |
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After the area’s winter wheat has had an opportunity to green
up this spring, producers will be assessing their stands to see whether the
crop should stay, be replaced with another crop or if the field should be
fallowed and planted back to wheat in the fall. The sooner the assessment
is made the better, since the wheat will be using valuable soil moisture each
day it is growing.
One way to estimate wheat yield potential is to use
the table below. A general rule is that every plant has approximately
five heads and each head averages about 22 seeds. Late planted wheat and
wheat seeds that do not germinate until later because of dry conditions, will
tiller less and hence have fewer heads. For this example, we assume an
average of 16,000 seeds per pound.
To use the table count the number of
plants per foot of row (use at least five feet of row) in at least five sites
within the field and calculate the average number of plants per foot of
row. If the stands are uneven, for example the stand is better or worse
in the wheel tracks, make sure your percentage of samples in these areas are
the same as the portion of the area they make up in the field.
Next,
find your row spacing and the average number of plants/foot of row in the
table. This is just an estimate of yield potential, assuming the plants
are healthy, moisture is adequate, and weed control and fertility meet crop
requirements.
Don’t forget about herbicide carryover that may
affect recropping options. If not already applied, delay herbicide
application until you decide about destroying or keeping the crop.
Herbicide and fertilizer combinations may increase the potential for crop
injury, especially to wheat under stress. More so than either control
measure applied alone.
Winterkill can be a very localized event,
so select sample areas carefully and don’t try to extrapolate results too
widely. If winterkill is a problem, carefully consider your alternatives
and visit with the appropriate agencies before destroying your crop.
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Estimated Winter Wheat Yield Potential
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Number of plants/foot
of row |
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Row
Spacing
(inches) |
1 |
2 |
3 |
4 |
5 |
6 |
7 |
8 |
9 |
10 |
11 |
12 |
|
Bushels/Acre |
|
6 |
10 |
20 |
30 |
40 |
50 |
60 |
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
7.5 |
8 |
16 |
24 |
32 |
40 |
48 |
56 |
64 |
|
|
|
|
|
9 |
7 |
13 |
20 |
27 |
33 |
40 |
47 |
56 |
60 |
|
|
|
|
10 |
6 |
12 |
18 |
24 |
30 |
36 |
42 |
48 |
54 |
60 |
|
|
|
12 |
5 |
10 |
15 |
20 |
25 |
30 |
35 |
40 |
45 |
50 |
55 |
60 |
|
14 |
4 |
9 |
13 |
17 |
22 |
26 |
30 |
34 |
39 |
43 |
47 |
52 |
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Source: Bob Klein,
Extension Cropping Systems Specialst, West Central NE |
Page Created and Maintained by: Perry D. Brewer, Area
Extension Agent (Technology Education/Youth)
2/25/2005 |
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Colorado
State University, U.S. Department of Agriculture, Kit Carson, Phillips,
Washington and Yuma counties cooperating. Extension programs are
available to all without discrimination. Where trade names are used, no
discrimination is intended and no endorsement by Colorado State University
Extension is implied. |
