Purdue University Department of Agronomy

Corny News Network

Published 10 Apr 2008
URL: http://www.kingcorn.org/news/articles.08/WheatCondition-0410.html

Winter Wheat Condition in Indiana

Herb Ohm
Agronomy Dept., Purdue Univ.
West Lafayette, IN 47907-2054
Email address: hohm at purdue.edu
 

Wheat in general came through the winter in good condition. Most damage was in low to even slightly low areas in some fields – even a few inches lower than surrounding areas in the field made a big difference in many fields.

Should I keep or destroy my wheat? One should wait until mid April to make that decision, especially in the northern ½ of Indiana, because it is early to seed other crops like corn and especially soybeans. Given the cool and wet conditions this spring, wheat is just beginning to grow in the northern ½ of the state, and one can much more accurately determine the wheat stand density after it is growing well. Given the more-than-usual wheat growth last fall, if the leaves are frozen severely, the plant might look dead, but the crown might actually be OK. Generally, if there are at least 15 plants per square foot, it is worth keeping – there will be a yield loss, but with current prices it should be worth keeping, although one should plan on applying a herbicide.