Crops: Wheat

The 2007 MSU Wheat Variety Trials Publication is now available.

wheatMississippi growers planted an estimated 110,000 acres of wheat in 2004-2005, a 50,000 acre or 31% decline from the previous year. Mississippi growers produced an estimated 8.2 million bushels or 53 bushels of wheat per acre in 2005. Wet fall weather delayed and restricted wheat planting intentions. The recent success and profitability of the early soybean production system, coupled with high nitrogen prices has also reduced wheat planting intentions for Mississippi growers, compared to our long term average.

Wet conditions persisting through mid-April kept wheat vegetative development below average for much of this spring. This weather stunted tiller development and delayed nitrogen application for many growers this spring. Heavy feeding by overwintering Snow geese also reduced plant density in many fields. Thus, yield outlook during mid-spring was not good. However, dry, cool conditions were prevalent during late April and May, promoting excellent grain filling.

Stripe rust was a substantial disease problem during this season as well. Stripe rust overwintered in wheat fields in northern Louisiana, Arkansas, and the southern Mississippi Delta and developed into serious problems much earlier than normal. This caused growers problems, because susceptible varieties needed fungicide application before leaf development was complete. Thus, growers needed to make two fungicide applications to protect their crop or risk yield loss. Because stripe rust has become a major disease problem, growers will likely need to select wheat varieties with substantial resistant to this disease.

Despite the difficulties experienced this growing season, harvest reports generally indicated average wheat yields, with some well-drained fields producing very good yields. Mississippi's state average wheat yield is estimated at 48 bushels per acre.

Wheat production has served as a low risk, low input, and consistent-yielding crop relative to summer row crops. Wheat acreage has dropped the past several years due to weather restraints and decreasing profitability relative to other crops.

Wheat may fit into many cropping systems because it may allow double-cropping and it is a winter crop, which may raise cash-flow during the off-season and does not demand a lot of management during high activity times for the major summer crops.

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