Yvonne Lawley, Assistant Professor of Agronomy and Cropping Systems at the University of Manitoba

mca2022dev on September 8, 2021

Estimating Yield and Physiological Maturity

mca2022dev on September 2, 2021

Producers and agronomists should be assessing each grain corn field now for yield estimates. Pollination is long since complete and we have an excellent idea of how many kernels have been pollinated.

The following is taken from Dr. R.L. (Bob) Nielsen on estimating corn grain yield prior to harvest. Dr. Nielsen has some excellent articles on corn production that are worth looking into. (www.agry.purdue.edu/ext/corn/news/timeless/YldEstMethod.html)

  1. At each estimation site, measure off a length of a single row equal to 1/1000th acre. For 30-inch (2.5 feet) rows, this equals 17.4 linear feet.
    TIP: For other row spacings, divide 43,560 by the row spacing (in feet) and then divide that result by 1000 (e.g., [43,560 / 2.5] / 1000 = 17.4 ft).

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Figure 1. Row length required to measure 1/1000th acre in various row widths – Ontario Grain Farmer (ontariograinfarmer.ca/2017/06/01/cropside-corn-stand-checkup/)

  1. Count and record the number of ears on the plants in the 1/1000th acre of row that you deem to be harvestable.
    TIP: Do not count dropped ears or those on severely lodged plants unless you are confident that the combine header will be able to retrieve them.
  2. For every 5th ear in the sample row, record the number of complete kernel rows per ear and average number of kernels per row. Then multiply each ear’s row number by its number of kernels per row to calculate the total number of kernels for each ear.
    TIPS: Do not sample nubbins or obviously odd ears, unless they fairly represent the sample area. If row number changes from butt to tip (e.g., pinched ears due to stress), estimate an average row number for the ear. Don’t count the extreme butt or tip kernels, but rather begin and end where you perceive there are complete “rings” of kernels around the cob. Do not count aborted kernels. If kernel numbers per row are uneven among the rows of an ear, estimate an average value for kernel number per row.
  3. Calculate the average number of kernels per ear by summing the values for all the sampled ears and dividing by the number of ears.
    EXAMPLE: For five sample ears with 480, 500, 450, 600, and 525 kernels per ear, the average number of kernels per ear would equal:
    (480 + 500 + 450 + 600 + 525) divided by 5 = 511
  4. Estimate the yield for each site by multiplying the ear number (Step 2) by the average number of kernels per ear (Step 4) and then dividing that result by a kernel weight “fudge factor”. Unless your seed company can provide some insight into kernel weight values for their hybrids, I suggest simply performing separate calculations using “fudge factor” kernel weight values equal to 75, 85, and 95. This range of values probably represents that most commonly experienced in the central Corn Belt.

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Figure 2. Grain corn yield estimate formula – Iowa State University (crops.extension.iastate.edu/cropnews/2017/08/estimating-corn-yields-using-yield-components)

Example: Let’s say you counted 30 harvestable ears at the first thousandth-acre sampling site. Let’s also assume that the average number of kernels per ear, based on sampling every 5th ear in the sampling row, was 511. Using “fudge factor” values of 75, 85, and 95; the estimated range in yield for that sampled site would (30 x 511) divided by 75 = 204, or divided by 85 = 180, or divided by 95 = 161 bushels per acre.

Repeat the procedure throughout field as many times as you deem representative. Tally and average the results separately for each “fudge factor” used for the calculations.

Remember that this year we have very uneven uniformity in most corn fields, which will influence the accuracy of any yield estimation technique. The less uniform the field, the greater the number of samples that should be taken to estimate yield for the field.

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Figure 3: Measurements for each reproductive stage of corn development and how a killing frost would affect yield at that stage.

In early September, we tend to estimate when the corn will reach physiological maturity even more than we estimate yield in each field. In recent years, Manitoba has been getting early to mid-September killing frosts, so the chart above has been a very well-used reference. If you need help determining stage of corn, visit Grain Fill Stages in Corn (Purdue University), or a simple Google search for countless resources on how to properly identify milk line or physiological maturity (black layer).

Article written by Morgan Cott, Agronomy Extension Specialist (Special Crops) with Manitoba Crop Alliance

Economic Benefits to Winter Wheat Even in a Dry Year

mca2022dev on August 31, 2021

By Karli Reimer, Ducks Unlimited Canada

Manitoba’s Interlake region is no stranger to extreme swings in weather. More often than not, the area experiences high moisture levels and flooding, but that hasn’t been the case for the last three or four years. Now deep in drought, East Selkirk farmer, Doug Martin, has been weathering these storms since the mid-80s and remembers all too well the impacts of a dry 1988. But despite the year-to-year uncertainties, Martin has adapted and built an operation that is more resilient to change by implementing practices that better manage his risks. One of the things that helps him do this is growing winter wheat.

Despite the harsh growing conditions all crops faced this season, winter wheat has come out ahead in many areas. On Martin’s farm, his Wildfire winter wheat yielded 60 bu/acre while his spring wheat only hit 45. On top of the increase in yield, Martin cites a few other reasons why the crop is a mainstay in his annual rotation.

“Our winter wheat produced a lot of straw and straw is worth a lot more this year. It produced twice as much as our spring wheat,” Martin says, adding it didn’t take him long to sell the medium square bales that came off his 500-acre winter wheat fields.

Not only did he make money selling the straw, adding to his bottom line, marketing the crop is also easier than it used to be.

“Once harvested, the crop went straight in the bin and then right back out,” he says. “That’s just part of what makes it a good fit on our farm.”

Like many operations, the cost of machinery and labour can add up. Especially when trying to expand a business.

“We’ve expanded the farm the last few years, but I didn’t want to buy another combine and add to our costs,” he says. “I knew I had to spread out the harvest window to use our existing equipment better.”

Having winter wheat in his rotation is key to Martin’s plan of growing crops in harvest windows or in stages. “Growing winter wheat just spreads out our risk and our workload. It’s nice to have it in the ground every year.”

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But will it germinate?

The canola is coming off the fields early this summer, and because of this, there has been an increased interest in planting fall-sown cereals. Early to mid-September is the ideal window to get winter wheat in the ground, and crop insurance in Manitoba now allows it to be seeded even later, with full coverage until September 25.

Thankfully, recent rains in some areas have given the parched prairie ground some much-needed reprieve, leading itself to good winter cereal growing conditions, but the crop doesn’t need much moisture to get started after seeding.

“Winter wheat can germinate with only one-third of an inch of rain,” says Ducks Unlimited Canada agronomist, Alex Griffiths. “What I tell producers is to never wait for rain. Get it in the ground as soon as you can and then the next shower will get it started.”

The trick to this, is seeding shallow. “Don’t seed deep,” explains Martin. “It has better germination that way and often small showers are enough to get the crop off and running.”

Winter wheat experts such as Griffiths say .5 to one inch is the maximum depth to seed the crop.

Last fall, some of Martin’s winter wheat didn’t germinate until later in the season, but once it did, it continued to grow and still came through the winter well. Agronomically, winter wheat is a very competitive crop, but he credits new varieties like Wildfire for their excellent winter hardiness package.

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To test or not to test?

Both Martin and Griffiths encourage producers to get soils tested this fall. With the dry conditions, there could be a great deal of residual nitrogen leftover from the previous crop and it’s good to know what’s there and what is needed.

With fertilizer prices on the rise, Martin says split-applying nitrogen, half in the fall and half in the spring, may also be a good strategy. This is just another way to manage risks and to operate more economically.

For anyone new to the crop or for anyone who hasn’t grown it for a while, Martin stresses to manage your stubble properly.

“Watch your stubble as it can break,” he says. “Stubble management is key. Without proper stubble, it reduces the ability to trap snow and to protect the crop over the winter. You may have to slow down on the field especially when desiccating and straight cutting.”

One last practice Martin incorporates to manage costs is controlling weeds after seeding. Because winter wheat is so competitive, producers may not have to spray in-crop for weeds if they are taken care of in the fall.

“This can also save you on inputs if you don’t have to apply a broadleaf next year,” he says. “All these things add up.”

Prairie wheat research groups commit $3.5 million to the University of Manitoba for wheat breeding activities

mca2022dev on August 31, 2021

By Canadian Wheat Research Coalition

August 31, 2021 (Calgary, AB; Saskatoon, SK; Carman, MB; Winnipeg, MB) – The Canadian Wheat Research Coalition (CWRC), alongside the Western Grains Research Foundation (WGRF) and the Saskatchewan Winter Cereals Development Commission (SWCDC), have committed funding to a core breeding agreement with the University of Manitoba (UM). Valued at over $3.5 million over five years, this agreement will ensure the continuation of the successful Fusarium head blight (FHB) nursery program, along with the winter wheat breeding program.

The primary objective for the UM’s FHB screening nursery is to continue evaluating breeding lines for their reaction to Fusarium graminearum – the most common causal agent of FHB. As one of few FHB screening nurseries in Canada, the UM program returns vital information to the network of western Canadian breeding efforts, and is the key to developing future wheat varieties with FHB resistance. While the focus for winter wheat research will be the delivery of field ready cultivars, development of new genetic tools to help improve winter wheat quality will feature heavily. The agreement, which is an increase of $1.6 million over the previous core breeding agreement, also includes the training of students as future scientists in wheat research.

Known for her contributions to FHB research, UM’s long-time winter wheat breeder Dr. Anita Brûlé-Babel is set to retire this December, with Dr. Curt McCartney assuming the role. Prior to joining the UM, McCartney was a research scientist at Agriculture and Agri-Food Canada (AAFC) in Morden, Manitoba, where he focused on cereal genetics targeting resistance to FHB, leaf and stem rust, and orange wheat blossom midge.

“This foundational funding of UM’s wheat breeding program ensures the continued evaluation of FHB resistance of breeding lines from across the Prairies,” says McCartney. “Dr. Brûlé-Babel’s research has been critically important for developing varieties with improved FHB resistance and has provided excellent training for graduate students. With this new agreement, I plan to build upon her successes through the development and implementation of genomics-assisted breeding techniques.”

The CWRC is a collaboration between the Alberta Wheat Commission, Saskatchewan Wheat Development Commission and the Manitoba Crop Alliance with a focus on funding genetic and agronomic wheat research for western Canadian farmers. The UM agreement represents the fourth and final core funding agreement with the public wheat breeding programs in Western Canada. Previously announced agreements include $22.6 million to AAFC, $9.6 million to the University of Saskatchewan’s Crop Development Centre, and $2 million to the University of Alberta. These core agreements provide support to key capacity in the breeding programs. In recognition of the winter wheat and FHB focus of the UM program, WGRF and SWCDC are providing $935,000 and $50,000, respectively, over the term of the agreement.

Quotes

“FHB is a growing concern across the Prairies as it not only compromises yield, but also end-use quality and food safety. As a farmer, my best line of defence starts at variety selection, so having access to FHB resistant wheat varieties is key for my farming operation.”

  • Fred Greig, CWRC Chair

“The University of Manitoba is an important piece of the western Canadian wheat breeding network. Renewing this long-term agreement creates stability for the winter wheat breeding program and ensures access to a coordinated FHB screening nursery that will continue to provide benefits for the wheat breeding programs across western Canada.”

  • Dr. Keith Degenhardt, WGRF Chair

“Winter wheat is a sustainable crop that promotes good environmental stewardship. Breeding for winter wheat varieties that better survive prairie winters is critical to continued uptake and adoption by producers. A better understanding of the genomics which influence winter survival and improve quality will lead to cultivars I can incorporate into crop rotations to enhance my farm’s profitability.”

  • John Burns, SWCDC Chair

“The producer-funded support from the CWRC, WGRF and SWCDC will be critical for supporting a strong program of winter wheat breeding and FHB resistance research at the University of Manitoba. As Dr. Brûlé-Babel capably passes the torch to Dr. McCartney, I know we can look forward to continuing to develop profitable and climate resilient wheat genetics for western Canadian farmers.”

  • Dr. Martin Scanlon, Dean, Faculty of Agricultural and Food Sciences, UM

Media Contacts

Erin Tateson

Interim Communications Manager

Alberta Wheat and Barley Commissions

403-219-7902

etateson@albertawheatbarley.com

 

Dallas Carpenter

Communications Manager

Saskatchewan Wheat Development Commission

306-801-2643

dallas.carpenter@saskwheat.ca

Pam de Rocquigny

Chief Executive Officer

Manitoba Crop Alliance

204-745-6661

pam@mbcropalliance.ca

Mike Espeseth

Communications Manager

Western Grains Research Foundation

306-380-2553

mikeespeseth@wgrf.ca

Carol Ann Patterson

Executive Director

Saskatchewan Winter Cereals Development Commission

306-242-1306

carolann@swcdc.ca

Crystal Jorgenson

Communications Specialist

University of Manitoba

204-791-8109

Crystal.jorgenson@umanitoba.ca

Jocelyn Smith, Research Scientist at the University of Guelph

mca2022dev on August 16, 2021

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