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MSU wheat trials yield surprisingly well

Despite poor stand establishment this winter and a wet start to the growing season, wheat performance trials in Michigan averaged 103 bushels per acre this year.

“The cool spring that we had actually allowed the wheat to tiller out and develop.”

Michigan State University Extension Specialist Dennis Pennington credits intensive management practices which go beyond a standard 90 pounds of nitrogen per acre for the high yields.

“It gets a second application of nitrogen in the amount of 30 more pounds applied at Feekes 7 and then it gets a fungicide at flag leaf and then a second fungicide for head scab control at flowering.”        

He tells Brownfield the trial average was 11.7 bushels higher than last year, with some varieties increasing by more than 20 bushels.

Farmers interested in reviewing the 108 varieties tested can find the results here.