Research on the Farm (ROTF)

Winter Wheat Seeding Rate

Trial Information

The purpose of this project is to quantify the agronomic and economic impacts of a reduced and an increased targeted plant stand of normal seeding rate in Winter Wheat.

• The grower will seed their normal seeding rate in 4 strips, alternating with 4 strips each of a lower and a higher seeding rate.
• The width of a strip must be at least as wide as a complete combine pass, preferably wider. The harvested length should not be less than 1,000 feet.
• The alternating strips of the wheat seeding rates can be planted by using GPS to plant every other strip with one seeding rate and then filling in the skipped passes with the second seeding rate.
• Take a seed sample from the seeder (about ½ an ice cream bucket).
• Harvesting must ensure at least one “pure” combine pass from each treatment (no mixing yields from two different treatments).

Results

Significant differences in fall plant stands were found at 69 per cent of trial sites. At all those sites the highest seeding rate treatment had the highest plant stand count. Comparatively, only 20 % of sites had significant spring plant stand differences. No significant grain yield differences between treatments was detected over the last two years at any site.

Note: Trials were established in the fall of the year previous.