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Wheat study shows seeding rate, fungicide benefits

A four-year trial on wheat seed choices and management scenarios showed a wide range of outcomes. 

Shawn Conley with the University of Wisconsin says the study looked at what inputs farmers can use to reach 100 bushels per acre and more straw, while still making money, and one practice that stood out was applying a fungicide at the right time. “After the wheat head has emerged and it starts to flower, that’s the timing for that fungicide application, and we’ve seen a pretty significant yield response. It pays for itself in every year that we’ve done this.”

Conley tells Brownfield the timely fungicide application gives farmers more than bushels in the bin. “We get anywhere from half a ton to almost a full ton more straw on a per-acre basis in terms of dry matter.”

And, increasing the seeding rate helps. “Farmers need to be pushing their seeding rate to about 1.75 million seeds per acre, so if you’re trying to calculate that when you’re planting, just figure out what your seeds per-pound are, and that way you can plant on a per-pound basis.”

Conley tells Brownfield selecting the right seed is important, so working with the seed dealers to get the right one for the farm is vital.

The field trials assessed what various management practices do to wheat yield, quality, and disease incidence on 14 different seed varieties. 

Results of the field trials are on Conley’s website.