Winter wheat growing in popularity

Source: Saskatchewan Agriculture and Food

A winter wheat breeder and professor in the Department of Plant Sciences at the University of Saskatchewan feels that popular new varieties and an evolving agricultural industry are responsible for the rapid increase in winter wheat production over the past few years.

According to Statistics Canada data, winter wheat acres in Western Canada almost doubled between 2005 and 2006, to just over one million acres.

"One of the main reasons that it is becoming more popular, is that we have varieties that are now better adapted to Western Canada," said Dr. Brian Fowler.

Fowler says that old varieties were quite tall and readily lodged if they reached the 45 bushel-per-acre range.

"Now, the development of winter-hardy, short-straw, semi-dwarf varieties has opened up a whole new management area," he stated. "Farmers are able to go in and apply proper management techniques to their winter wheat. They are able to fertilize for optimum yield, and have limited residue to deal with afterwards, especially in some of the higher moisture areas."

The widespread switch to minimum-tillage seeding equipment is another factor that Fowler believes has played a part in the crop's resurgence. "Direct seeding is compulsory [for winter wheat], because you must have standing stubble to hold the snow for winter production. Otherwise, the crop runs a higher risk of winter-kill," he explained.

At the same time, strong growth in the feed market has spurred greater demand for the product, to which farmers are responding. "A lot of winter wheat goes into the hog industry, for example," Fowler said. "Now, with the ethanol industry on the rise, high-yielding, low-protein wheat will most likely be one of its major feedstocks. This fits right in with winter wheat."

But producers not accustomed to planting winter wheat can make a few common mistakes, according to Fowler.

"First-time growers sometimes handle winter wheat as if it were a spring crop, except sown in the fall. Unfortunately, winter wheat production is not that simple, and most of the mistakes are made before the crop goes in the ground," he stated.

For the best results, Fowler says it is important to get the crop into the ground during the optimal seeding period, which usually falls in the first two weeks of September. "One of the biggest difficulties is getting the previous crop off early enough," he observed. This can be facilitated by planting spring crops that mature earlier on the fields targeted for winter wheat seeding in the fall.

"Farmers should also make sure they have their seed and equipment in place and ready to go, because the seeding period for winter wheat is a very busy time, with the harvesting of spring-sown crops creating a big competition for labour," he added.

Fowler suggests that producers looking to grow winter wheat for the first time should talk to an experienced grower, since it requires a few different management practices. Winter wheat is priced lower than hard red spring wheat, so producers will want to make sure they are managing the crop for optimal yield.

Fowler says the yield advantage of winter wheat has been quite significant in recent years, especially when there has been good moisture in the spring.

"Once the crop is in the ground, and assuming the optimum seeding date, a shallow seeding depth and sufficient snow cover, then winter wheat is pretty easy to manage," he stated. "Farmers will only have to worry about getting their nitrogen fertilizer on in the early spring and controlling winter annual weeds."

For more information on the qualities and production of winter wheat, visit the Winter Cereal Production page housed on the University of Saskatchewan's website at www.usask.ca/agriculture/plantsci/winter_cereals.

For more information, contact:
Dr. Brian Fowler, Professor
Department of Plant Sciences, University of Saskatchewan
Phone: (306) 966-4973
E-mail: brian.fowler@usask.ca