Three weeks have now past since the cold temperature episode across Indiana and what is the current condition of the wheat crop? From all of our observations and reports from others, it appears that the wheat crop escaped any serious damage from the cold temperatures. Leaf burn was wide spread across the state with the most severe burn in the southwestern part of Indiana and very little in the northwestern areas with snow cover. A field or two in southwestern Indiana have been diagnosed with stem injury from the cold temperatures.
The last week of March, with high temperatures and bright sunny skies, has been ideal for wheat growth. Wheat is grown very rapidly in the southern part of the state with jointing occurring across the southern two thirds of the state. Based on our observations, the wheat crop looks extremely good at this time.
We are still receiving calls related to top dressing wheat with nitrogen. If wheat has not yet been top dressed it should be done as soon as possible, soil conditions permitting. Most of the wheat yet to be top dressed is in the northern one half of the state. Since wheat in these areas has not yet started to joint or is in the early stages of jointing, nitrogen should be applied at the originally planned rate.