PRAIRIE GRAINS

Page 2 Prairie Grains • Crop Production Guide 2016

THERE’S A SIMPLER WAY TO PROTECT YOUR SPRING WHEAT FIELDS.

Don’t go to absurd lengths to kill weeds and grasses in your spring wheat and durum fields. For the broadest protection available —

controlling 86 broadleaves and 13 grasses — use PerfectMatch™ herbicide, the successor to WideMatch® herbicide. Offering multiple modes of action for

resistance management, it does everything you want, all in one product. How perfect is that? SimpleWeedControl.com

®™Trademark of The Dow Chemical Company (“Dow”) or an affiliated company of Dow. PerfectMatch and WideMatch are registered for sale or use in all states. Contact your state pesticide regulatory agency to determine if a product is registered for sale or use in your state. Always read and follow label directions. ©2016 Dow AgroSciences LLC M37-412-001 (11/15) BR DAAGPMCH5052

Role: Name: Initials: Date: Order Role: Name: Initials: Date: Order: DeadlinesGCD Offline Producer Dan Internal:

Client: Print/Ship: BW’s to:Colors to:PDF to:Package to:1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10 11 12

Writer Online Producer

Art Director Jaclyn Art Buyer

ACD Account Exec.

Proofing Senior Level AE

Production Lead Other

Production Artist Diane Other

Crop Production Guide 2016 • Prairie Grains Page 3

\

Crop Production Guide 2016 | Issue 148

PRAIRIE GRAINSPUBLISHERMinnesota Association of Wheat Growers2600 Wheat Drive • Red Lake Falls, MN 56750218.253.4311 • Email: [email protected]: www.smallgrains.org

EDITORIALBetsy JensenPrairie Grains Magazine2600 Wheat Drive • Red Lake Falls, MN 56750Ph: 218.253.4311 • Fax: 218.253.4320Email: [email protected]

CIRCULATIONKaylina Paulley2600 Wheat Drive • Red Lake Falls, MN 56750Ph: 218.253.4311 • Fax: 218.253.4320Email: [email protected]

ADVERTISING SALES2600 Wheat Drive • Red Lake Falls, MN 56750Ph: 218.253.4311 • Fax: 218.253.4320Email: [email protected]

ABOUT PRAIRIE GRAINSPrairie Grains magazine is published seven times an-nually and delivered free of charge to members of these grower associations, and to spring wheat and barley producers in Minnesota, North Dakota, South Dakota and Montana. To subscribe or change address, please write or call our circulation department.

Minnesota Association of Wheat Growersand Minnesota Wheat Council

2600 Wheat Drive • Red Lake Falls, MN 56750218.253.4311 • Email: [email protected]

Web: www.smallgrains.org

North Dakota Grain Growers Association2401 46th Ave SE , Suite 204 • Mandan, ND 58554

701.222.2216 • Email: [email protected]: www.ndgga.com

South Dakota Wheat Inc.116 N. Euclid, Box 667 • Pierre, SD 58501

605.224.4418 • Email: [email protected]

Montana Grain Growers AssociationP.O. Box 1165 • Great Falls, MT 59403 • 406.761.4596

Email: [email protected] • Web: www.mgga.org

Northland Community and Technical College1101 Highway One East • Thief River Falls, MN 56701

218.683.8800Email: [email protected]

Web: www.northlandcollege.edu

4 Taming the Bulls and Bears 5 Passing on the Farm

6 Are Wheat Fungicides Necessary?

8 Optimum Seeding Rates for Diverse HRSW Cultivars

10 Northern Plains Nitrogen

12 When to Spray Fungicides

13 Wheat Disease Identification Booklet 14 When Should Farmers Apply Sulfur?

15 XXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXX

16 U.S. Hard Red Spring Wheat Regional Quality Report

24 U.S. Wheat Farmers and the Trans-Pacific Partnership

25 XXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXX

26 Wheat Planting: A Focus on Seeding Rate, Placement and Planting Date

29 Prairie Talk - Addressing Seed Treatment Questions

30 A Growing Curiosity

North DakotaGrain Growers Association

CONTENTS

On The Cover:

THERE’S A SIMPLER WAY TO PROTECT YOUR SPRING WHEAT FIELDS.

Don’t go to absurd lengths to kill weeds and grasses in your spring wheat and durum fields. For the broadest protection available —

controlling 86 broadleaves and 13 grasses — use PerfectMatch™ herbicide, the successor to WideMatch® herbicide. Offering multiple modes of action for

resistance management, it does everything you want, all in one product. How perfect is that? SimpleWeedControl.com

®™Trademark of The Dow Chemical Company (“Dow”) or an affiliated company of Dow. PerfectMatch and WideMatch are registered for sale or use in all states. Contact your state pesticide regulatory agency to determine if a product is registered for sale or use in your state. Always read and follow label directions. ©2016 Dow AgroSciences LLC M37-412-001 (11/15) BR DAAGPMCH5052

Role: Name: Initials: Date: Order Role: Name: Initials: Date: Order: DeadlinesGCD Offline Producer Dan Internal:

Client: Print/Ship: BW’s to:Colors to:PDF to:Package to:1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10 11 12

Writer Online Producer

Art Director Jaclyn Art Buyer

ACD Account Exec.

Proofing Senior Level AE

Production Lead Other

Production Artist Diane Other


The Original In-Bin Continuous Flow Drying System...that Grows with your operation!If you’ve decided you will need to dry grain after last year’s miserable weather, call K & D Enterprises. With a Shivvers computerized drying system, we can help. Whether your drying needs are 2,000 or 20,000 bushels a day, Shivvers has a system for you.

K & D EnterprisesCrookston, MN218-281-7133

Join the MN Wheat Growers on Facebook

http://www.facebook. com/MNWheat

Betsy Jensen | TAMING THE BULLS & BEARS

A New PerspectiveMy brother is in the Army, and was stationed on California. He thought it would be a great idea to run the Monterey Half Marathon. Sure, why not. It can’t be that hard to run 13.1 miles with ocean views to keep you company.I boarded the plane, and hoped for the best.

The morning started perfectly. As we waited at the starting line, we were serenaded by barking sea lions, or maybe seals, I can’t tell the difference, and

Monterey Bay has both.Fresh ocean breezes gave us an extra boost in the early morning. It was go-ing to be a perfect day.

And it was a perfect day until about mile 8. Then I started praying for someone to put a muzzle on those stupid seals. Don’t they ever stop barking? And why did it smell like dead fish and rotting seaweed? Ocean breezes smell hor-rible. It took 8 miles for my perspective change. This wasn’t 13.1 miles of heaven; it was 13.1 miles of hell.

You have probably expe-rienced similar changes in perspectives. There is much debate about low oil prices. It’s wonderful to have gas less than two dollars a gallon, unless you have lost your job in the oil fields. And the price of ethanol has dropped right along with gas prices. And corn prices have dropped right along with ethanol and oil prices. And wheat and corn prices move together. Remind me again how great low oil prices are.

Our outlooks and perspec-tives change all the time, and that’s a great thing! The more we learn, the more we grow, and the more we mature. It’s not wrong to see things differently, it’s wrong to cling to old beliefs when you have new information that helps you make better decisions.

Our perspectives on farm-ing have changed in the past few years. Prices were high, yields were great, and farm-ers were able to build shops, buy bins, and upgrade equipment. I will probably tell my grandkids about the glory days in agriculture. That is not the case for 2016.

A change in perspective might be how you make your farm lean and mean for future years. We need to analyze every enterprise, perhaps drop unprofitable crops and maybe look for new crops to grow. Your crop marketing plan should once again hunt for ways to make a quarter, instead of holding out for that dollar gain. It is a time of tight margins, and chang-ing your perspective can bring long term gains.

A change in perspective means we cannot use our

2012 marketing plan for 2016. We can’t sell wheat at $10, or $9, or even $8 like we did in 2012. Your 2016 crop marketing plan must be specific for 2016, and we’ll throw it out for 2017 be-cause we’re going to start all over. Every year is unique, and we need to start a new chapter with each crop.

Even when you have tight cash flows, and disappoint-ing prices, don’t ever let that change your perspective on agriculture overall. We may not be living in the glory days, but agriculture is still where I want to be long term. There is still great potential in agriculture.

We may have a new per-spective on crop prices, or how big of a shop to build, but overall I am still long term bullish for farming. We just need to survive this bump in the road.

Your crop marketing plan should once again hunt for ways to make a quarter, instead of holding outfor that dollar gain.

“”


By Dan Lemke,Spirited Communications

Leaving a legacy and pass-ing on the farm to the next generation is of highest importance to most farm-ers. While that may be the goal, carrying out those wishes can be a complex and sometimes intimidat-ing process. Nonetheless, experts say plans are vital to controlling and protect-ing assets while transferring ownership in the mannerfarm owners wish.

Leah Gilbert is an attorney with Pluto Legal of Tyler, Minnesota. She focuses her practice in estate planning and elder law. Gilbert says that even though farmersmay have some form of an estate plan in place, they rarely update it.

“Even though you don’t think your life changes much, I can guarantee you the law changes,” Gilbert says. “I recommend people update their plans any-time there’s a substantial change, whether that’s a change in family dynamics or the number of people, marriage, employment or retirement, and then every few years after that. I have clients on a maintenance plan, meeting every 1 to 3 years to review their situa-tion and goals to make sure the plan accomplishes what they want it to do.”

Estate and succession planning can be a complex matter involving tax impli-cations, trusts, life insur-ance options and even long term care insurance. To

ensure the farm is protected and the owner’s wishes are carried out, Gilbert recommends doing estate planning in three parts.

“Part one, you plan for when you’re alive and well. You’re the boss, you do whatever you want. Your focus is more on the income tax planning,” Gilbert says. “Part two, you plan for when you’re alive, but not able. Do you have your disability documents together? If you can’t make your own decisions, who gets to speak on your behalf and who gets to manage your assets? Finally, what happens when you die?”

According to the 2012 agri-culture census, the average farm operator in Minnesotais nearly 57 years old. Because of an aging agricul-ture population, many farm-ers are at the stage where they are considering how to best pass on the farm. Regardless of a farmer’s age, having a plan for transition-ing the farm to the next generation ensures their decisions are carried out.

Beyond even transferringownership, Gilbert says farmers really need to look at disability planningin order to protect assets.With the average cost of nursing home care sur-passing $6,000 a month, assets can be eaten up quickly if they’re not properly protected.

“Every situation is different,”adds Gilbert, “so what may work for one family is not appropriate for another.

When we sit down with cli-ents in their homes, we dis-cuss their goals and then my job is to identify options that will accomplish those goals so that the client can make an informed decision.”

No matter the farmer’s age, learning about options and getting a plan started is vital, especially because of the complexity that comes with farm ownership.

“When dealing with farm-ing families, another layer of complexity is added to the estate planning pro-cess, especially when we’ve got farming and non-farming beneficiaries. Fair doesn’t always mean equal,” Gilbert says.

Even though there are a number of different ap-proaches farmers can take in their planning, Gilbert says it’s important that they get started be-cause planning isn’t only important to the current

farm owners, it also mat-ters to the beneficiaries. Estate plans belong to the farm owner and the in-formation is confidential until they die, so owners are under no obligation to share what’s in their plans.

“Ultimately, families need to remember that it’s up to Mom and Dad, they are the ones who decide who, what, how much and when. Many plans allow for the flexibility to change deci-sions, but many people don’t realize that there is no right to inherit,” adds Gilbert.

While plans can be kept secret, sharing informationwith those who will be impacted can make the process go more smoothly and reduce conflict for the beneficiaries.

“Communication is im-portant,” stresses Gilbert. “Surprises are great for birthdays and Halloween, not estate planning.”

Passing On the Farm


Are Wheat Fungicides Necessary?Cost per acre matter, especially in 2016. Input costs are on farmers’ minds this year. Will cutting this input cut costs, or ulti-mately reduce revenue?

Determining whether to spray wheat fungicide is a difficult decision every year. NDSU Cereal Extension Plant Pathologist Andrew Friskop has six guidelines for farmers before they de-cide to spray, or not to spray.

Friskop’s first recommenda-tion is to know your variety. “Know the profile behind your variety,” said Friskop. “Pull up the NDSU selection guide, and know what the

disease response is for your variety.” You need to first know if your wheat variety has susceptibility to diseas-es, and if so, which diseases.

NDSU has a five-tiered scale for wheat diseases, from R, resistant to S, susceptible. The variety trials assign one of those 5 ratings to each wheat variety, for 6 plant diseases. It is a lot of information to track, but is important to know when scouting diseases.

The next step is to under-stand your cropping sys-tem, and what diseases are common in your area. “You have a good familiar-

ity with your area,” said Friskop. “You know what’s out there every year.” He divides diseases into resi-dent fungal diseases, and non resident diseases.

The resident diseases overwinter, and come back year after year like tan spot and septoria. “They are home sweet home diseases, they’re always going to be there,” said Friskop. With resident diseases, you canreduce risk with crop rota-tion. “Know the type of diseases that can be sitting in the soil,” advised Friskop.

“Then there’s ones that are going on vacation,” said Friskop. “Instead of snow-birds going south, we get diseases that come north.” Leaf rust and stripe rust are two examples of diseases that follow the wind north. “They have their nice over-winter in the southern part of Texas, and the pathogens move north from state to state,” he said. Friskop advises looking south at winter wheat areas to help predict what non resident diseases may be commonduring the summer.

Another recommendation is to pay close attention to the weather. Farmers understand the impact of a heavy morning dew and warm weather. Forecasting models can help you tie together your gut instincts from the weather with computer models and historical data. NDSU has the Small Grain Disease Forecasting Model, with data from NDAWN

stations across North Dakota,Western Minnesota and Eastern Montana. Also available is the national Fu-sarium Head Blight Predic-tion Center, housed by Penn State, and offers nation wide recommendations. Friskop warned, “Don’t use these as a 100% sure way to predict a disease but it’s one more thing that you can add on.”

Friskop’s last recommen-dation is to scout, scout, scout. “It’s the one single most important thing you can do with wheat disease management. You can be physically looking at the lower canopy, you know what type of diseases are sitting there, and what might be moving up into the canopy.” From there, your fungicide response depends on what type of yield can you protect.

Leaf diseases are present every year, but some years they may not be severe enough to take action. There are many tools to use when evaluating your treatment options. Combining several tools can help you make the most profitable decision.

Dr. Andrew Friskop

During one of the hands-on sessions at the ‘Best of the Best’, extension plant pathologists from NDSU and UMN-Crookston provided useful tips on the identification and management of root rot diseases in small grains.


America never stops. Thanks to the financial support of Farm Credit, neither do the farmers and ranchers who call her home. For a century we’ve helped rural America show the world what hard work can achieve. But the job is far from over. And as our rural communities continue to grow, we’ll be there.

HERE TO HELP YOU GROW


Research Highlights: Optimum Seed-ing Rates for Diverse HRSW CultivarsBy Itai Mutukwa, Special to Prairie Grains

Past research has shown that optimum seeding rate for maximum yield variesamong hard red spring wheat (HRSW) cultivars. This is why new cultivars are evaluated in field experiments over several seasons to determine the most optimum seeding rate. However, it is hard to keep up with new cultivar releases. Jochum Wiersma’sresearch explores the pos-sibility of predicting op-timum seeding rate andplanting date for a cultivarbased on genetic traits such as semi-dwarf stature(Rht-B1 and Rht-D1 genes) and day length sensitiv-ity (Ppd-D1 gene).

The specific questions he seeks to answer are: Is there a relationship between certain genetic characteris-tics with planting date and seeding rates? Given that a new cultivar possesses certain genetic traits, would it be possible to predict its response to various seeding rates and planting dates? Information generated from this research is to be used in the development of regression models that can be used to determine how a group of genetically similar varieties is likely to respond to different seeding rates and planting dates. So, instead of the current time consuming method where response is determined through experiments done with a single cultivar at a

time, this study explores the possibility of success-fully predicting optimum seeding rates and plantingdates for a group of cultivarswith common genetic characteristics.

Field experiments were conducted at locations in Minnesota and North Dakota (4 in 2013, 6 in 2014 and 6 in 2015) with 12 HRSW cultivars planted at seeding rates that ranged from 0.6 to 2.2 million seeds per acre. Planting periods included optimum planting dates and some dates that were 3-5 weeks later than optimum.

Result Highlights 2013 • Seed size among the 12 HRSW cultivars varied from a 500 kernel weight of 13.6g to 19.4g. If a farmer were to plant at the com-monly adopted rate of 1.5 bushels/acre, seeding rate would be 1.5 million seeds per acre for the seed with a 500 kernel weight of 13.6 g and 1 million seeds per acre for the seed with a 500 kernel weight of 19.4 g. • Individual cultivarsresponded differentlyto seeding rate. • Lower seeding rates resulted in more tillering compared to higher seeding rate. However, farmers can-not fully depend on tillering to make up for yield loss due to seeding rates that are much lower than optimum. • At Crookston, presence of the dwarfing trait (RHt-D gene) at the early planting date did not result in a yield decrease as seeding rate

increased, while cultivars that did not have the dwarf-ing trait resulted in a yield decrease as seeding rate increased. At a planting date that was three weeks later than optimum, yield decreased after the 1.4 mil-lion seeding rate with or without the presence of the dwarfing trait (Rht-D gene).

2014 • No variety x seeding rate interaction was observed, thus no variety specific seeding rate response re-gressions can be developed. • At Prosper, cultivars showed varying propensity to tiller with the cultivar Sabin having more stems per plant than any other

Planting Date

Cultivar 23 May 30 May 6 June 23 June

----------------Stems/plant---------------------

Albany 34.3 25.8 8.5 3.7

Briggs 19.3 15.4 14.2 5.5

Faller 29.6 26.2 16.3 16.4

Kelby 14.3 13.2 11.5 6.5

Knudson 24.7 21.5 14.3 8.1

Kuntz 16.3 17.7 9.5 5.6

Marshall 14.7 24.2 13.5 7.9

Oklee 16.1 16.8 12.9 6.0

Rollag 11.1 19.8 13.9 5.4

Sabin 24.7 24.3 22.8 13.1

Samson 18.2 13.8 14.2 7.2

Vantage 20.8 20.0 10.6 4.4

Mean 20.4 19.9 13.5 7.5

LSD (0.05) 6.2 5.1 5.1 5.1

Table 1. Effect of cultivar by planting date interaction ontotal stems per plant in single seed hill plots, Crookston, MN, 2014

cultivar. Therefore, tillering ability should be consid-ered when choosing an appropriate seeding rate for a specific culltivar. • At Crookston, late planting decreased tillering which lowered yield (Table 1). Therefore, a higher seed-ing rate should be consid-ered to compensate for yield loss due to reduced tillering when planting is delayed.

2015 • Environmental condi-tions favored lodging if the agronomic practicessuch as seeding rate, cul-tivar or nitrogen fertilitywere favorable. • The lodging prone cultivars showed an in-


crease in lodging with increased seeding rate. For these cultivars, no yield increase was realizedwith increased seeding rates (Table 2). In fact, over-seeding was shown to be unprofitable. There-fore, if a farmer is thinking of using higher seeding rates, they should ensure that the cultivar they are using has sufficient straw strength to avoid lodging. • Locations had variableresponses to seeding rateaveraged over cultivar for grain yield. • A delay in plantinglowered grain yield at most locations.

Concluding remarksFrom the results obtained in the three years of research, there is evidence that knowledge of the genetic makeup of a plant with re-spect to certain qualitative traits could impact seeding rate decisions. While seed-ing rate recommendations that are based on genetic analysis are not yet pos-sible, there is hope that this can be achieved as statisti-cal analysis of obtained data is still underway.

AcknowledgementsThis research is being used towards a PhD graduate degree for Grant Mehring at North Dakota State Univer-sity with Dr. Jochum Wiers-ma and Dr. Joel Ransom as co-advisors to the research.

For more information on this and other informativelocal research studies, you are greatly encouragedto read the yearly wheat research reports which can be accessed at: http://smallgrains.org/wheat-research-reports/

Seeding Rate (seeds acre-1)

Cultivar 600,000 1,000,000 1,400,000 1,800,000 2,200,000

------------------------------- 1- 9z ------------------------------------------------

Albany 1.3 2.7 4.0 3.3 6.7

Briggs 1.3 1.3 4.7 1.7 4.3

Faller 3.0 5.0 6.7 7.3 6.7

Kelby 2.3 1.3 2.3 3.3 2.3

Knudson 1.7 2.3 1.7 2.3 4.0

Kuntz 1.3 1.7 1.3 2.0 6.5

Marshall 1.0 1.3 2.0 3.0 5.3

Oklee 2.3 2.7 6.7 6.7 6.0

Rollag 1.0 1.0 1.0 1.0 1.0

Sabin 2.7 5.7 6.0 7.3 7.3

Samson 1.0 1.0 1.0 1.0 1.3

Vantage 1.0 1.0 1.0 1.0 1.0

Mean 1.7 2.3 3.2 3.3 4.4

LSD 0.05x 2.2Z Lodging is based on a visual 1-9 scale with 1 being erect and 9 being flat on the ground.x Can be used to compare within any column or row, but not between a column and row.

Table 2. Effect of the interaction between seeding rate and cultivar on lodging at Kimball, MN, 2015.


Northern Plains Nitrogen: The Intersection of Energy, Water and Economic DevelopmentBy Heather Syverson, AE2S Communications

The Northern Plains Nitrogen (NPN) fertilizerproduction facility planned for Grand Forks, N.D., is moving forward in 2016. The next step for the $2.5 billion project is the value engineering process, which involves groups of engineers from around the world working together to make a project as func-tional and cost-efficient as possible. The front-end engineering design (FEED) process will follow.

When it is operational, NPN will include an ammonia plant, as well as urea and urea-am-monium-nitrate (UAN) production facilities.

“There are three key ele-ments for a nitrogen fertil-

izer facility: air, water and natural gas,” says Calvin Coey, NPN project man-ager. “Favorable energy prices make this project viable, as 80 percent of the input cost is related to nat-ural gas.”The plant will use 80,000 million British ther-mal units of natural gas per day, which is expected to help reduce natural gas flaring in North Dakota.

The NPN facility will be located near the Grand Forks wastewater treat-ment plant so it can use wastewater effluent from the treatment process. Ad-vanced Engineering and Environmental Services Inc. (AE2S), an engineering consulting firm that spe-cializes in water projects, has been working with NPN and Grand Forks on the project since 2013.

“The fertilizer produc-tion process is heavily dependent on access to water,” says Shawn Gad-die, AE2S nexus division manager. “NPN is a perfect illustration of how water intersects with the en-ergy sector and creates economic development.

During peak construction, the plant is expected to employ 2,000 people. After the facility is operational, an estimated 170 full-time jobs will be created.”

NPN is currently looking for additional investors to make the proposed plant a reality. “We have acquired the necessary permits and we’ve had engineers working on making the plant a reality for nearly two years,” Coey says. “The last piece of the puzzle is funding. We’re excited about this project and look forward to benefit-ing the city of Grand Forks with our presence.”

In December 2015, the Grand Forks City Council unanimously approved an extension on the water

agreement with NPN through the end of 2016, allowing more time for the project to take off.

The project plans were de-veloped after a North Da-kota State University study found conditions in the Northern Plains are favor-able for the construction and operation of a nitrogen fertilizer facility. The study identified key market con-ditions such as the natural gas reserves in North Da-kota, which would provide a reliable regional supply of fertilizer for farmers while reducing the U.S.’s dependence on imports.

Grand Forks was selected as the location for the plant because of its access to the current and planned natural gas pipelines in the region, water avail-ability and its existing rail and truck infrastructure.

Reprinted with Permission



When to Spray FungicidesIf you have made the deci-sion to spray fungicide, the next step is determining when to spray it. When can the wheat plant get the maximum benefit of the fungicide treatment?

Andrew Friskop, NDSU Cereal Extension Plant Pathologist compiled data from prior years’ research to help determine when is the optimal time to spray. The findings may change how you spray fungicide in 2016.

To begin, Friskop divided the data into low, moderate and high disease thresholds.

In low disease, there is cool weather to start the season, and low amounts of mois-ture, It is relatively dry, with very little tan spot develop-ment, maybe 1 or 2 lesions on the oldest leaf. There is not enough disease to justify a fungicide application.

In moderate disease, the wheat was cultivated into wheat residue. There’s a little more moisture, and leaf disease is more visible. “Yes there’s a risk,” said

Friskop. “There’s maybe twenty percent lesions on the leaf, and a lot of tan spot lesions in the lower canopy.”

In high disease environ-ments, lots of risk factors promoted disease devel-opment. The wheat was planted into minimum till wheat, lots of dew early on, and it is easy to see there is going to be yield losses.

“Both rust and tan spot were on flag leaf,” said Friskop.

After dividing the data, Friskop examined what would be a typical outcome from spraying fungicide at the 4 to 6 leaf stage, and at the flag leaf stage.

“As expected, in a low disease risk, your response is low. No protection at 4 to 6 leaf, and even at flag leaf a one percent increase in yields versus the check, “ said Friskop. The moder-ate risks saw a three percent increase at 4 to 6 leaf stage and four percent at flag.

In high disease environ-ments, there was a four

percent increase at the 4 to 6 leaf stage and nine percent at flag leaf. “Most of your grain yield poten-tial is coming from that flag leaf, “ said Friskop.

To help farmers make deci-sions about the profitability of fungicide spraying, Fris-kop, along with Montana State University, has devel-oped an online tool to assess the response. “It’s a quick and easy to way to evaluate,” said Friskop. The tool uses parameters such as wheat prices, sprayer width, and fungicide costs to help de-termine if you’re going to get a return on your investment.

Spraying for scab is the most common fungicide application. “When you think of fungicides for scab, there’s only one, and it’s not one hundred percent effective,” said Friskop.

If conditions are favorable for scab development, tim-ing of spraying is tricky.

“When it comes to scab timing, we always hear spray at early flowering,” said Friskop. “Early flower-ing is when you see the first anther, the yellow flower. I

Fungicide Economic Decision ToolMontana State University and North Dakota State University

Uses several variables to predict economic returnon fungicide application

https://www.msuextension.org/econtools/fungicide/index.html

The old adage that earlier is better appears to be wrong

understand there’s a lot of variability, and not every plant will be flowering, but the majority of the field.”

The old adage that earlier is better appears to be wrong. “In the past few years what we’ve seen is being too late with the application is better than too early,” said Friskop.

“Early on it was believed that early was better, but data from this state, and across the US, we are see-ing that the application window is widening.”New data suggests that flow-ering plus 4 to 5 days is the ideal time to spray. DON levels were reduced more at the flower plus 4 to 5 versus spraying right at flowering.

Friskop also reminded farmers that variety has an influence. There is no treat-ment that is one hundred percent effective, so try to plant a wheat variety that has resistance. Even with a fungicide spray, a sus-ceptible variety may still have high levels of DON.

Farmers can relax a little bit this summer now that re-search has shown a slightly larger window of applica-tion time for scab control.


Wheat Disease IdentificationBookletThe Minnesota Wheat Research and Promotion Council, along with the Univeristy of Minnesota reprinted the Wheat Disease Identification booklet to assist growers in the continued fight with diseases that affect heads, grain, leaves, lower stems and roots. If you didn’t pick one up at any of the grower sessions that were held this winter, you can order your copy by going to the MN Wheat website.

This booklet contains photos of common diseases, including black chaff, stagonospora nodorum blotch, wheat streakmosaic, common root rot and more. It will fit nicely in your pickup cab when you check your fields.

This booklet is free of charge and will be available while quantites last. ONE per request, please. Go to www.smallgrains.org and order this 26 page booklet.


When Should Farmers Apply Sulfur?Farmers are asking more questions about soil nutri-tion. Looking past the big 3; N, P and K, farmers are asking if there are othernutrients that may helpboost yields.

Dan Kaiser, University of Minnesota Associate Profes-sor, Department of Soil, Water and Climate has been helping farmers analyze the need for additional fertil-ization. “We’re looking at different nutrients, trying to see where we can find the most economic value out of some of our fertilizer treatments, ” said Kaiser. One nutrient that may be deficient is sulfur, and 2015 was a big year for sulfur

deficiencies across the region. “We look at avail-ability. A lot of our issues boil down to cool spring, where we don’t have a lot of mineralization. That can affect a lot of things, and it can push things over the edge, “ said Kaiser.

In most years, you can expect twenty to twenty five pounds of sulfur beingtaken up by the crop. Half of the sulfur should be in grain, and half in biomass. That means you are re-moving ten to twelve pounds each year.

Yield responses to sulfur are increasing because of the unavailability of sulfur

in the soil. Some of the sulfur reduction can be attributed to the decrease in atmospheric sulfur. Kaiser doesn’t believe this is the primary reason. “It might compound over time, but this isn’t the major driving factor.”

Another factor reducing sulfur levels in the soil is a decrease in manure ap-plication. Fewer farmers own livestock, and manure application is no longer widespread across the state.

Kaiser believes the biggestfactor that is decreasing sulfur has been soil tem-peratures, and organic matter concentration.

Kaiser offers a warning about elemental sulfur. “In elemental sulfur, the problem boils down to oxidation. It takes a high temperature, and we can’t count on the sulfur being available early in the year,” warned Kaiser. Most of the oxidation will take place in July and August, after the plant needs the sulfur. Finely ground sources of el-emental sulfur will oxidize faster than larger particles.

Even with finely ground elemental sulfur, there will still be a delay getting the nutrient to the plant. Kaiser recommends adding sulfate, along with elemental sulfur, to ensure the plant has ac-cess to the nutrient early in the growing season. When it comes to recom-mendations for sulfur, Kaiser has conducted numerous trials for wheat and soybeans. One warning

he offered for soybeans was the risk of too much sulfur. “For soybeans one of the is-sues we have where there is enough available nutrients, we have the ability to create biomass. We don’t want to have a lot of biomass because of white mold prob-lems with a dense canopy.” Kaiser also noted that larger plants demand more water. Too much sulfur can cause problems for soybeans.

When it comes to wheat, sulfur application hasn’t been consistent in response. “Last year we may have seen a chance of response,” said Kaiser. Without more consistency, it is difficult to justify the expense of sulfur.

If you have sandy soils, and low organic matter, you are more likely to see a response. Kaiser conducted a study to see if sulfur could raise yields and protein in different wheat varieties. The location that responded the best was Staples, MN, where he had sandy, irrigat-ed soil. The Crookston, MN location had no response to the sulfur application.

In soils where sulfur is de-ficient, Kaiser said applica-tion timing is flexible. Fall or spring application should work find unless you have very sandy soils. “The carry-over should be there unless you’re on very sandy soils,” said Kaiser. He also empha-sized there is no justificationfor going over 10 lbs, unlessyou’re in sandy soils.

“For trimming costs, maybe invest that money in phos-phorous,” advised Kaiser.


AG CONSULTING

First In Farming Expertise

SINCE 1979

WWW.CENTROL.COM

AG CONSULTINGAG CONSULTING

First In Farming Expertise

WWW.CENTROL.COM (888) 584-5550

Centrol ad.indd 1 2/28/07 10:56:30 AM


U.S. Hard Red Spring Wheat RegionalQuality ReportBy NDSU Wheat Quality Lab and ND Wheat Commission

The Aristocrat of Wheat

HARD RED SPRING— a specialty wheat grown primarily in the NorthernPlains of the UnitedStates—stands out as the aristocrat of wheat when it comes to baking bread. The high protein content and superior gluten quality of hard red spring wheat make it ideal for use in some of the world’s finest baked goods. Yeast breads, hard rolls and specialty products such ashearth breads, whole grain breads, bagels and pizza crusts look and taste their best when baked with top quality spring wheat flour. Even frozen dough products are better with spring wheat because they can be stored

longer than those made with lower protein wheats.

Flour mills in the United States and around the world also use hard red spring wheat extensively as a blending wheat to in-crease the gluten strength in a batch of flour. Adding hard red spring to lower protein wheat improves dough handling and mix-ing characteristics as well as water absorption. The resulting flour can be used to make an assortment of bread products, as well as Chinese-type noodles.

2015 overviewThe 2015 U.S. hard red spring wheat crop produced high grades, high protein and is sound in overall kernel traits. Regional pro-duction is up slightly from

2014 but a larger share in 2015 was produced in the eastern half of the region due to higher planted acres and record per acre/hectareyields. Production was lower across the western half due to less planted area and reduced yields due to minor to severe mid-summer drought conditions. Func-tional crop performance is showing positive improve-ments over 2014 for mill yields and loaf volumes, with similar to slightly stronger dough properties, and good bake quality.

The crop averages a #1 Dark Northern Spring compared to a #1 Northern Spring in 2014, showing significant improvements for color or vitreous kernels. Specifical-ly, the crop averages a 61.6 lb/bu (81kg/hl) test weight, 0.4% damage and 83% vitre-ous kernels. Test weight and kernel damage are similar but vitreous kernels arevastly improved over thehistorically low 53% recorded in 2014.

Grade distributions show ninety-two percent is a #1 grade, up slightly from eighty-six percent in 2014. Test weight distributions have seventy-nine percent of the crop above 60 lb/bu (78.9 kg/hl) or higher, and only four percent falling below 57 lb/bu (75 kg/hl). Vitreous kernel distribu-tions show nearly seventy percent of the crop above 75%, compared to just forty-three percent in 2014. Only twenty percent of the

crop fell below 50% vitreous kernels compared to nearly forty percent last year.Average protein is 14.1%, up from 13.6% in 2014 and similar to the 5-yr aver-age. All parts of the region show higher kernel protein levels. Nearly two-thirds of the 2015 crop is above 14% protein (12% moisture basis), compared to just forty percent in 2014. Like-wise, only twelve percent of the crop falls below 13% protein compared to nearly thirty percent last year. A warmer, drier finish to the growing season favored the higher protein average.

An extended period of warm, dry conditions supported the harvest of a sounder, drier cropcompared to 2014. Kernel moisture is about one-half percentage point lower, and the average falling number for the overall crop is 372 seconds, up from 339 seconds in 2014. Distribution of falling number better reflects the improved crop soundness, as ninety-four percent of the crop averages above 350 seconds compared tojust seventy-three percent in 2014. Only one percent of the 2015 crop falls below 300 seconds comparedto eleven percent last year.

Disease pressures were minimal across the region and were more isolated, with the greatest pressuresin the central portion of the region. The vast majority of the crop analyzed had no

ProductionData 2015 2014

2010-14Average

MILLION BUSHELS

Minnesota 86 65 88

Montana 76 104 111

North Dakota 319 292 304

South Dakota 60 72 65

ID/OR/WA 23 22 42

U.S. Total 564 555 610

MILLION METRIC TON

Minnesota 2.34 1.77 2.41

Montana 2.06 2.83 3.01

North Dakota 8.68 7.95 8.27

South Dakota 1.63 1.96 1.78

ID/OR/WA 0.62 0.60 1.15

U.S. Total 15.4 15.1 16.6Source: USDA 2015 Small Grains Summary


Approximate Share of Regional Production by Area

North Dakota

Montana

Minnesota

South Dakota

C12

Oregon Idaho

Washington

A2%

B2%

A6%

C1% D

1%

B8%

E2%

A14% C

9%

B12%

D12%

F4%

E4%

A3% C

3%

B5%

B4%

A8%

continued on page 18

detectable DON. Overall crop DON levels are just 0.1 ppm, down from 0.3 in 2014 and 0.4 for a 5-yr average.

Farinograph tests indicate similar to slightly stronger dough properties compared to 2014 with appreciably stronger values across some western portions. The crop average stability is 10.3 min-utes, up from 9.4 in 2014 and similar to the 5-yr average. Stabilities range from a low of 7 minutes to a high of 16.6 minutes. Absorption values are similar to 2014, aver-aging 61.9 %, but slightly below the 5-yr average.

Dough strength as mea-sured on the Extenisgraph and Alveograph indicate slightly weaker but more extensible characteris-tics compared to 2014 and the 5-yr average.Baking quality in 2015 is

showing similar absorp-tion to 2014, at 67.5% but improved loaf volume at 964 cubic centime-ters, compared to 938. Dough handling proper-ties are improved over the 2014 crop but bread scores are slightly lower.

Buyers will appreciate the 2015 crop for its high grades and overall soundness, and find improved value in

the higher protein levels,lower moisture content, zero to minimal DON levels and notably im-proved color or vitreous kernels compared to 2014. The crop provides buyers with a slight improve-ment in dough strength, and higher loaf volumes.

While some functional traits are lower than expected, based on the improved pro-

tein levels, higher protein segments of the crop do provide parallel improve-ments in factors like absorp-tion, dough stability, and loaf volume. Buyers can buy with confidence in the 2015 crop as extreme shortfalls or differences in quality across the region are minimal, but diligent contract specifica-tions are still encouraged to attain the best quality.


Wheat Characteristics

Protein is probably the most important factor indetermining the value of hard red spring wheat sinceit relates to many process-ing properties. In the U.S.market HRS prices are usu-ally quoted for 14.0 percentprotein (on a 12.0 percent moisture basis). Pricepremiums or discounts may be specified for halves,fifths and tenths of a per-centage point above andbelow 14.0 percent.

Dough Characteristics

Physical characteristics of dough are evaluated to reveal useful informa-tion about variations in flour types, processing requirements and expected end-product quality.

A farinograph traces a curve during the dough mixing process to record variations in gluten development and the breakdown of gluten proteins over time. Water absorption indicates theamount of water that can be added to the flour until the dough reaches a definite consistency.Peak time indicates the number of minutes re-quired to achieve this level of dough consistencyand mixing tolerance indicates the stability of the dough. Both peak time and stability arerelated to dough strength. The extensigraph mea-sures dough strength by stretching a piece ofdough on a hook until it breaks. The apparatustraces a curve that mea-sures extensibility, resis-tance to extension and the area beneath the curve, or energy value.

0 8 16 24 32 40

12%3%

17%9%

30%25%

25%37%

15%26%

-12

12-12.9

13-13.9

14-14.9

15+

Percent

2015 Avg. - 14.1 percent2014 Avg. - 13.6 percent

PROTEIN - 12% MOISTUREREGIONAL DISTRIBUTIONRegional Distribution


Physical Dough Quality

An alveograph traces a curve that measures the air pressure necessaryto inflate a piece of dough to the point of rupture. The overpressure (P) value reflects the maximum pressure needed to deform the piece of dough during the inflationprocess and is an indication of resistance, or dough stability.

The length (L) measurement reflects dough extensibility. The deformationenergy (W) measurement is the amount of energy needed to inflate the dough to the point of rupture and is indicative of dough strength.

continued on page 20

Farinograph

State & Crop Reporting Area

Absorption %

Peak Time Min

Stability Min

MTI B.U.

Quality Number

Area A 60.9 6.3 10.9 29 113

Area B 60.8 6.9 11.7 30 117

State Avg. 2015 60.9 6.4 11.0 29 113

State Avg. 2014 61.8 5.4 10.2 23 115

MONTANA

Area A 62.6 7.8 13.7 27 135

Area B 61.5 7.8 16.6 20 157

Area C 62.1 7.7 12.2 26 130

Area D 62.9 6.1 8.6 38 104

Area E 65.6 6.8 7.6 34 110

State Avg. 2015 62.1 7.7 14.8 24 145

State Avg. 2014 60.5 6.7 10.4 25 126

NORTH DAKOTA

Area A 63.3 6.0 7.3 32 117

Area B 62.2 6.4 9.9 34 107

Area C 61.7 7.9 12.3 27 136

Area D 62.6 6.6 9.3 33 106

Area E 61.4 6.0 8.0 35 100

Area F 59.9 6.2 9.1 36 104

State Avg. 2015 62.3 6.5 9.1 32 112

State Avg. 2014 62.5 5.9 9.2 28 114

SOUTH DAKOTA

Area A 60.8 6.4 10.9 38 101

Area B 61.0 7.3 9.3 36 110

Area C 60.3 6.2 8.7 39 98

State Avg. 2015 60.9 6.9 9.5 37 106

State Avg. 2014 60.7 5.6 8.7 29 106

ID/OR/WA

Area A 63.1 8.7 13.0 22 163

Area B 62.3 6.2 11.3 24 128

State Avg. 2015 62.6 7.3 12.0 23 143

State Avg. 2014 64.3 5.8 6.7 28 111

REGION AVERAGE

*Avg. 2015 61.9 6.7 10.3 31 117

*Avg. 2014 61.9 6.0 9.4 27 115

*Four-Year Avg. 63.4 6.8 10.7 34 123


North Dakota

MontanaMinnesota

South Dakota

C12

Oregon Idaho

Washington

A14.2

B15.5

A14.6

C14.2 D

13.0

B14.3

E14.7

A14.4

C14.1

B14.0

D14.0

F13.7

E14.0

A12.7 C

14.1

B14.3

B13.5

A13.9

AVERAGE WHEAT PROTEIN BY AREA12% Moisture Basis-Percent

Average Wheat Protein by Area12% Moisture Basis-Percent

North Dakota

MontanaMinnesota

South DakotaOregon Idaho

Washington

A13.0

B11.3

A13.7

C12.2 D

8.6

B16.6

E7.6

A7.3

C12.3

B9.9

D9.3

F9.1

E8.0

A10.9 C

8.7

B9.3

B11.7

A10.9

AVERAGE STABILITY BY AREA(Minutes)

Average Stability by Area

DAVE’S COMMENTS HERE


North Dakota

MontanaMinnesota

South Dakota

C12

Oregon Idaho

Washington

A63.1

B62.3

A62.6

C62.1 D

62.9

B61.5

E65.6

A63.3

C61.7

B62.2

D62.6

F59.9

E61.4

A60.8 C

60.3

B61.0

B60.8

A60.9

AVERAGE FARINOGRAM ABSORPTION BY AREA(Percent)

Average Farinogram Absorption by Area


0 3 6 9 12 15

2010

2011

2012

2013

2015

Minutes

StabilityPeak Time2014

FARINOGRAPH RESULTSREGIONAL AVERAGE

Regional AverageFarinograph Results



Historical Average of Quality Factors

Crop Year 2015 2014 2013 2012 2011 2010Five-Year

AverageWHEAT GRADING DATA

Test Weight (lb/bu) 61.6 61.4 62.5 60.8 60.7 61.6 61.4

Test Weight (kg/hl) 81.0 80.7 82.2 80.0 79.6 81.0 80.7

Vitreous Kernels (%) 83 53 68 75 82 70 69

1000 Kernel Weight (gm) 31.3 32.4 32.9 29.2 27.9 32.8 31.0

Protein: 12% moisture (%) 14.1 13.6 13.5 14.6 14.6 13.7 14.0

Protein: dry (%) 16.0 15.4 15.4 16.6 16.6 15.6 15.9

Ash: 14% moisture (%) 1.53 1.46 1.54 1.56 1.73 1.57 1.60

Falling Number (sec) 372 339 403 421 365 387 383

FLOUR DATA

Extraction (%) 67.1 66.0 69.1 69.0 68.1 70.0 68.5

Ash: 14% moisture (%) 0.52 0.45 0.53 0.49 0.54 0.51 0.50

Protein: 14% moisture (%) 13.0 12.3 12.6 13.7 13.3 12.6 12.9

Wet Gluten (%) 34.9 31.5 35.5 35.9 36.4 34.2 34.7

Falling Number (sec) 386 370 417 424 388 391 398

Amylograph PeakViscosity

65g FL (B.U.) 676 518 590 733 581 578 600

100g FL (B.U.) 2917 1816 2221 2831 2069 2613 2310

PHYSICAL DOUGHPROPERTIES

*Farinograph:

Absorption (%) 61.9 61.9 63.0 63.3 64.5 64.5 63.4

Peak Time (min) 6.7 6.0 6.2 7.4 7.5 6.2 6.8

Stability (min) 10.3 9.4 9.0 12.2 11.0 10.2 10.7

Extensigraph:

Extensibility-45 min (cm) 16.5 16.2 17.2 16.3 18.5 16.5 17.0

Resistance-45 min (B.U.) 442 475 413 481 394 489 450

Area-45 min (sq cm)) 95 100 94 103 97 105 100

Alveograph :

P (mm) 80 103 89 94 80 104 94

L (mm) 120 101 116 115 126 109 114

W (joules X 104) 324 364 335 376 318 402 359

BAKING DATA

Absorption (%) 67.5 67.2 66.1 62.9 63.0 63.0 64.5

Dough Handling Properties 9.5 8.6 9.1 9.5 10.0 10.0 9.4

Loaf Volume (CC) 964 938 967 991 984 927 961

Grain and Texture 7.4 7.9 8.0 8.0 8.6 8.2 8.1

Crumb Color 7.5 7.8 7.9 8.0 8.2 8.9 8.2

Crust Color 9.4 9.7 9.8 10.0 10.0 9.9 9.9

Symmetry 9.0 9.3 8.0 8.2 8.8 8.2 8.5


Handling and Transportation

The hard red spring wheat growing region utilizes truck, rail and water to get wheat from farms to export facilities. The Northern Plains has a vast network of country elevators to fa-cilitate efficient and precise

movement to domestic and export markets. On aver-age, nearly 80 percent of the region’s wheat moves to markets by rail. The dominant railroads are the Burlington Northern Santa Fe, the Union Pacific and the Canadian Pacific.

In the Pacific Northwest, a

large river system is used along with rail to move wheat to export points. An increasing number of the el-evators in the region are in-vesting in facilities and railcapacity to ship 100-110 car units in “shuttle” trains. Each rail car holds ap-proximately 3,500 bush-els (95 metric tons) of

wheat. Shuttle-equipped facilities receive the low-est rates, sharing volume and transaction efficien-cies with the railroad.The diverse rail and water shipping capacities and a widespread network of elevators are strengths that buyers can capitalize on, especially as their demand heightens for more precise quality specifications and consistency between ship-ments. Buyers are encour-aged to explore origin-spe-cific shipments to optimize the quality and value of wheat they purchase.

The elevator network in the U.S. hard red spring wheat region is well suited for meeting theincreasing quality demands of both domestic and international customers.

PNW75%

Mexico2%

Gulf16%

Lakes5%

Average Share of U.S. HRS Exports by Port (2011-2014)

0

3

6

9

12

0

110

220

331

441MILLION TONS

11-12 12-13 13-14 14-15

MILLION BUSHELSDomestic Use Exports

2011-2014 U.S. HRS Domestic Use andExports

100+ rail car track

50 - 99 rail car track

Export terminals

River terminals

River system

Rail network

Grain Handling and Transportation Facilities in the U.S. HRS Region


The Trans-Pacific Partnership (TPP)TPP was announced under the Bush Administration and negotiated by the Obama Administration with bipartisan recognition that the dynamic Asia-Pacific region will drive future growth for U.S. workers, businesses and farmers. In the agreement, TPP member countries have established new trade standards by dramatically reducing barriers and setting up ground rules to ensure free and fair competition.

Trade maTTers To u.s. wheaT farmers

U.S. Wheat FarmerS and the tranS-PaciFic PartnerShiP

I put my wheat seed in the ground every year hoping we can compete in overseas markets. But our competition is negotiating trade agreements that could put us way behind. without TPP, wheat farmers like me facing high input costs and low prices are going to get hurt at the worst possible time.

“

“– Mike Miller, Washington wheat farmer and USW Officer.

Mike Miller (right), working on his farm in Eastern Washington with his employee, Al Hernandez.

whaT maTTers To wheaTTariff elimination Tariffs make wheat more expensive, hurting farmers and their overseas customers. Many countries that could buy more U.S. wheat are not waiting on us and have negotiated separate agreements that give competing exporters duty-free access. TPP will eliminate tariffs on U.S. wheat in Vietnam, a rapidly growing market, and improve market access in Japan.

more rational Trade rulesTariffs aren’t the only way countries disrupt trade. That’s why TPP had an ambitious goal to reduce non-tariff trade barriers. The agreement succeeded in updating rules that ensure scientific-based health and safety standards that allow government-owned companies to compete on a commercial basis and provides increased cooperation on agricultural biotechnology. TPP also adds enforcement through consultation and dispute settlement mechanisms.

The United States is one of only a few countries with the land, climate and technology needed to produce abundant crops of high quality wheat. Our farmers produce enough each year to fill American tables and still have half their crop available to compete in global wheat trade that USDA expects to increase by 14 percent by 2025. Wheat farmers need trade agreements that remove artificial barriers and level the playing field with other wheat exporters to take advantage of this huge economic opportunity.


Betsy article


Wheat Planting: A Focus on Seeding Rate, Placement and Planting Date By Itai Mutukwa, Special to Prairie Grains

Decisions made at planting greatly affect wheat yield and quality potential and hence profitability. Estab-lishing an even uniform stand with an optimum plant population is crucial. Some management strate-gies that can help achieve this include adopting an optimum seeding rate, proper seed placement, and planting at the right time.

Seeding RateA seeding rate that is too high means higher costs and an increased risk of lodging. On the other hand, seeding rates that are too low reduce yield poten-

tial from the onset. When determining seeding rate, the first thing to consider is the desired plant popula-tion. Targeting plant stands of 0.9-1 million for winter wheat and 1.3-1.4 million plants per acre of spring wheat and durum is rec-ommended. In general, optimum plant population for varieties that tiller well tends to be closer to the lower limit while nearer the upper limit for those that do not. While these guidelines are good, it is important to pay attention to what has been specified for the particular variety that one is planting since optimum plant populations have been shown to vary among vari-eties. Once the desired plant

Figure 1. Number of Linkert seeds per pound averaged within three size categories. Seed samples were obtainedfrom 14 Minnesota counties, 2013-2015.

population is determined, the actual seeding rate needs to be calculated tak-ing into consideration the number of seeds per pound, expected stand loss and germination percentage.

In the past, wheat seed-ing rates were determined in terms of pounds of seed planted per acre. However, this method disregards variations in seed size and weight among varieties and even among different seed lots of the same variety. One seed sample can have more than double the number of seeds found in a different sample of the same weight hence the need to consider the actual number of seeds per pound when calculat-

ing seeding rate. Figures 1 and 2 show differences in seed number per pound of Linkert and Prosper seed collected from Minnesota counties. If unknown, the number of seeds per pound can be easily determined. One method would be counting the number of seeds in at least three 20g samples of seed then deter-mining the average number which is then multiplied by a factor of 22.68 to give the number of seeds per pound.

Expected stand loss de-pends largely on envi-ronmental factors which are unfortunately hard to predict. However, when calculating seeding rate, estimates for stand loss can


be made based on historic occurrences and by consid-ering certain management factors. Optimizing what is within ones control will go a long way towards maxi-mizing yields. For example, good seedbed prepara-tion, planting within the optimum time frame, proper seed placement, and adequate nutrition will help reduce stand loss. But even under good conditions, a stand loss of 10-20% is expected and this should be factored in when calculat-ing seeding rate. Germina-tion percentage is another important factor to consider when calculating seeding rate as it points out what proportion of the planted seeds is likely to emerge in the field. Large plumb good

looking seeds have been known to not germinate. Therefore, if germination percentage is unknown, a germination test should def-initely be done before plant-ing. While a farmer can do their own germination test, there is also the option of submitting seed to a seed lab for germination testing.

So, having gathered all the puzzle pieces, an appro-priate seeding rate can be calculated. The formula below can be used.

Seed PlacementWheat seed should be placed in the ground in a way that allows adequate seed and soil contact for good seedling emergence and proper stand establish-

ment. This is more challeng-ing under a no-till system where farmers need to ensure that seed is placed underneath all the plant residue at the right depth.

When soil moisture is adequate, a seeding depth of 1-1.5 inches is recom-mended for wheat. If mois-ture is limiting, a slightly deeper seeding depth can be adopted. However, it is not recommended to plant at a depth of more than 3 inches. Planting too deep hinders seedling emer-gence thus resulting in poor stand establishment. Even if seeds planted too deep do emerge, there is a risk of reduced vigor, fewer tillers and hence lower yield. The risk is higher for

varieties that have small seed and short coleoptiles.

On the other hand, it is not recommended to plant wheat below 1 inch. A seed-ing depth that is too shallow will most likely cause in-adequate seed-soil contact which leads to poor emer-gence, reduced stand and consequently lower yield.

See Figures 3 and 4 which show wheat planted at dif-ferent depths on page 28.

Planting DatePlanting within an optimum time frame is key. Optimum planting dates are set such that crop development oc-curs in the most optimum environment with regards to factors such as moisture,

Seeding rate (lbs. per acre) = (Desired stand in plants per acre)/ (1-expected stand loss)(Seeds per lb) x (% Germination) continued on page 28

Figure 2. Number of Prosper seeds per pound averaged within three size categories. Seed samples were obtainedfrom 21 Minnesota counties, 2012-2015.


temperature fertility, pests and diseases. In this region, planting usually occurs from March 31 to June 1 for spring wheat; March 31 to July 20 for durum and August 25 to October 16 for winter wheat. These plant-ing date ranges merely point to the period of time plant-ing usually starts and ends and are not necessarily the optimum planting dates.

Optimum planting dates should be more specific to the environment and hence they tend to vary spatially

on yield and quality will depend on the weather con-ditions during the growing season. Cooler than normal temperatures can help offset the effects of late planting. Increasing seeding rate by 1% for each day planting is delayed up to a maximum of 1.6 million seeds per acre is recommended to help offset potential yield loss due to delayed planting.

Beyond the last plantingdate, planting decisionsget complicated.

thus even within the same state, planting dates for dif-ferent areas may vary. For example, for spring wheat planted south of highway 13/21 to the South Dakota border, optimum planting time is during the second week of April and winter wheat planted north of I94 should be planted between 1 and 15 September.

Despite the knowledge of optimum planting dates, there are seasonal weather occurrences which can im-pede timely planting. With

wheat being a cool season crop, a delay in planting means the crop will most likely develop in higher than preferred temperatures which negatively affects til-ler development, delays ma-turity and may reduce yield. When grain filling occurs during warmer than normal conditions, there could be less starch accumulation which results in smaller shriveled seeds. Yield loss is estimated at 1% per each day planting is delayed past the optimum period. However, the actual effect

Optimum seeding rate information, NDSU Extension: https://www.ag.ndsu.edu/crops/spring-wheat-articles/optimal-seeding-rates

North Dakota State Seed Department: http://www.nd.gov/seed/seedlab/index.aspx

Wet paper towel germination test: https://www.uaf.edu/files/ces/publications-db/catalog/anr/FGV-00249.pdf

Alberta seeding rate calculator: http://www.agric.gov.ab.ca/app19/loadSeedRateCalc

Field crops usual planting and harvesting dates, USDA, 2010: http://usda.mannlib.cornell.edu/usda/current/planting/planting-10-29-2010.pdf

Planting date guidelines: https://www.ag.ndsu.educrops/spring-wheat-articles/optimum-and-last-planting-date-minimum-stands-crops-loss-from-frost-or-hail

HE

LP

FU

L L

INK

S

Figure 3. The crown area of wheat planted one inch deep. Figure 4. The crown area of wheat planted three inches deep.


By Lauren (Stai) Proulx,CCA, MWR&PC

In a past issue, #146, of our publication there was an article called “ContinuousImprovement”. It was written by Dan Lemke of Spirited Communications. He covered my On-Farm Research Summit at the Prairie Grains Confer-ence. I’ve received quite a few phone calls on one statement about our seed treatment study: “treated areas yielded a statisti-cally significant amount less than the areas with no seed treatments applied”.

Looking back I wish I would’ve given Dan more information for his article. This trial was done in one field of Prosper wheat last summer for a total of four replications. We found a 2.6 bushel advantage for the untreated areas. We believe this is because the field lodged and we think the treated areas lodged worse. This trial is a good

Prairie Talk Addressing Seed Treatment Questions

example of why we need more replications in more areas. Positive side is that the yield was still very good and same with the protein. Even though seed treat-ments aren’t one of our main areas of focus for this summer we hope to add to this data in the future. Especially if I continue to get questions from farmerswho want to know if the seed treatment is a good economical decision. What IS the On-Farm Research Network Focus-ing on This Summer?

In the last issue, #147, I ex-panded on two of our main areas of focus: ESN or Smart Nitrogen and Palisade- a plant growth regulator. We have three others: N-Serve- an anhydrous ammonia nitrogen stabilizer, apply-ing 28% UAN at boot stage and a seeding rate study.

Today I’m going to focus on how we plan to do the seeding rate trial.

With all the varieties of wheat to choose from and the crop responding differ-ently in different regions we decided to add a seeding rate trial. I’ve learned that with variable rate capa-bilities on air seeders this is an easy trial to put in. Even if you don’t have the technology and you have to get out and make adjust-ments on the cart, it’s still fairly easy. As you’re plant-ing you adjust the rates so that there are at least four replications. Meaning, there are four strips of one rate alternating with four of a different rate. I would flag each corner of each strip as you’re planting and make a map of which seeding rate went where. It’s also really nice when the software in the tractor records where the different rates are.

With this on-farm research you will often hear me say that I need you do the exact same thing as everyone else. Just like with our Palisade trial, it’s hard to have ev-

eryone use the same variety but with this seeding rate trial if we can go with a fairly common variety and the same two rates we will have more useful results. I will be there at harvest and weigh each strip with my weigh wagon and take the protein samples. In the fall you will get a packet of all the data the Network has collected.

In conclusion, there are many ways this trial can be ex-ecuted but once you harvest each strip and weigh them so you have hard numbers, you can look at your data and anyone else’s doing the trial and make your deci-sion on what rate you want to use moving forward. It’s our goal to give you good data to help you make decisions.

We’re looking for more participants; if you have any interest in learning more about us, the research or how you can do one of these trials please give me call at 218 556 3174 or email me at [email protected].


By Dan Lemke,Spirited Communications

By nature, most farmers are curious. They are constantly on the lookout for ways to improve efficiency and productivity. In many cases, growers conduct their own experiments to see which seed varieties, nutrients or management practices are effective at getting the most from their farms.

Identifying the effectiveness of various farming practices and sharing that informa-tion with growers is the goal of the Northwest Minnesota On-Farm Research Network. The network was formed by producers in Northwest Minnesota and is funded by the Minnesota wheat checkoff and the Minnesota Department of Agriculture.

Garth Kruger farms near Warren, Minnesota. He has been involved with the On-Farm Research Network since its begin-ning because of his desire to learn and improve his farming proficiency.

“I’m always testing dif-ferent ideas on our farm,” Kruger admits. “I liked the idea of collaborating with other like-minded individuals who are will-ing to share. Getting data across more than one field is good because there are so many variables. This gives you a better perspective.”

Kruger has conducted several on-farm research projects including evaluat-ing slow release nitrogen

A Growing Curiosityand most recently, evaluat-ing fungicide use in both soybeans and wheat. The in-formation that he and other farmers in the network gath-er from their research proj-ects is shared, which helps other farmers make better, more informed decisions.

“A lot of us use univer-sity data, but most of that comes from small plots which don’t always play out the same way as in a field,” Kruger says.

“The main reason I am participating in the on farm research trials was the idea that there would be other farmers doing the same experiments I was doing, in a different geography, under different environments,” adds Red Lake Falls, Minne-sota farmer Ryan Casavan. “This type of research, with a group of farmers across our wheat growing area testing a specific product under all the different en-vironments, could generate some very powerful data.”

Over the past 10 years, Casa-van says he has conducted many trials testing differ-ent fertilizers, fungicides and wheat varieties. He says most farmers conduct their own trials every year when they plant a new wheat variety. “I think we are all trying to see what works best,” Casavan adds.

Many of the On-Farm re-search participants say the process is fairly simple and doesn’t add a lot of addi-tional time or effort to their operations. Implementing

the test and control strips was relatively simple as was the harvest process.

“I laid out a proposal that was repeatable and fair and it was accepted,” says Ken Asp, a Thief River Falls, Minnesota farmer. “I just had to keep good notes.”

Asp conducted a two-year project looking at soybean’s response to sulfur and nitrogen. While there was some response, it wasn’t significant enough in Asp’s tests to impact profitability.

Like many farmers, Asp is inquisitive and plans to continue trying new things. “It’s ongoing, because that’s how research works.”

While the information gathering is an important piece of the On-Farm Re-search Network’s goal, so too is sharing information with farmers. The network produces a summary report on findings and holds infor-mational sessions to help growers learn more about the projects and the results.

“These projects are bigger than just did something work or not,” says Kruger. “The cross-pollination that occurs among farm-ers and sharing ideas is very important.”

For more information about On-Farm Research Network results or to consider participating, visit www.smallgrains.org/farm-research-network/.

Ryan Cassavan

Garth Kruger

Ken Asp

Crop Production Guide 2016 • Prairie Grains Page 31Call the MAWG offi ce at 1-800-242-6118 and choose the type of membership that is best for you. Go to www.smallgrains.org to learn more.

By joining the MinnesotaAssociation of Wheat Growers, you become an important member

of an organization that is committed to

providing you with the latest advancements and improvements

in the wheat industry.

Become a MAWG Member Today!

The Minnesota Association of Wheat Growers places a high priority on legislative issues such as Crop Insurance, Technology and Research, Trade, Conservation Programs and Grower Communication & Information.


DON’T BE FOOLED BY PRICE.Quality engineered design means you get maximum

returns from your drainage system.

www.EllingsonDrainage.com 701.893.9030

Your drainage system should be engineeredto provide you with the maximum return oninvestment. Don’t be fooled by competitors that cut corners or provide you with last minutesurprises. Your crops need maximum drainageperformance to reach their full potential.

Why hire Ellingson Drainage:

• Survey & design technicians on staff• 45+ years of experience with proven results• 5-year workmanship guarantee• We tile it right the first time• We deliver on our commitments

©2016 Copyright, Ellingson Companies, inc. All Rights Reserved.

Ask about our wheat discounts.

Documents

PRAIRIE GRAINS