by Brian Mhango

Socrates once said: “Nobody is qualified to become a statesman who is entirely ignorant of the problem of wheat.”

And with that quote I thought of sharing a few interesting bits about wheat: Wheat was one of the first domesticated food crops and for 8000 years has been the basic staple food of major civilizations in Europe, West Asia, and North Africa and it is grown on more land area than any other crop; world trade for wheat is greater than any other cereal, the only other agricultural commodity traded more than wheat are soybeans and soybean products; More foods are made with wheat than any other cereal grain; Wheat provides more nourishment (calories & proteins) for humans than any other single food crop; Accounting for a fifth of humanity’s food, wheat is second only to rice as a source of calories in the diets of developing country consumers, and it is first as a source of protein; Demand for wheat in the developing world is projected to increase 60% by 2050. At the same time, climate-change-induced temperature increases are likely to reduce wheat production in developing countries by 20–30%. [Wheat CRP, FAOSTAT].

I believe the above provides a lot of enthusiasm for farmers going into this winter wheat production – with wheat prices averaging $400 – 450 per ton, sufficient water in the wheat producing areas, stable electricity supply coupled with a positive global demand for wheat, we believe there can be no better time than now to invest in wheat production, and one of the most important decisions to make for profitable wheat production is choosing the right variety or varieties to plant.

Many differences exist among varieties and it is imperative to assess what characteristics are important given a particular production area. To reduce or manage risks growers are encouraged to diversify their crops by planting multiple certified varieties. This helps improve the chances of success. Certified seed ensures the highest quality seed available with good germination and freedom from noxious weeds.

The soil environment plays a critical role in optimising wheat growth and development has consistently shown increased wheat yields with deep tillage. In fields with a hard pan or compacted soils, tillage enables easier root growth and penetration, increasing the potential for water and nutrient uptake. Tillage also serves to reduce surface residue that may host diseases and pests. In wet years, compacted, dense soils can result in very low soil-oxygen conditions, which can reduce yields of most small grains due to poor root production and nutrient uptake.

No-till is less common in wheat production due to observed yield reductions ranging from 3 to 20%. With the understanding that no-till management often has a wheat yield penalty, it may be considered as a decision for the whole farm system to reduce erosion and save on tillage costs.

Disking is a common tillage practice that can provide an excellent seedbed but may lead to the formation of a compacted layer of soil. The weight of the implement is concentrated in a very small area at the tip of the disk and when disking is repeated several times, a hardpan can form.

Deep tillage (bottom or Para plowing or V-ripping) is the most reliable tillage option to optimise yield potential. It is slower and more expensive than disking, but is usually cost effective with improved yields. When double-cropping field operations make it impractical to deep till, chiseling or subsoiling can be a beneficial alternative.

Consistent and proper seed placement will influence the uniformity of emergence, final stand, and potential yield of wheat. Good seed soil contact with soil moisture promotes rapid emergence and good root development. Wheat should be planted at least 2.5 to 4 metres deep when soil moisture is adequate for good germination. Take care to achieve uniform planting depth, as poor depth control leaves seed too deep or too shallow for uniform emergence.

Planting wheat with a properly calibrated planter is preferred over broadcasting, as uniform emergence is very difficult to achieve when broadcasting wheat. Numerous studies have demonstrated that higher yields are consistently achieved with a properly calibrated planter compared with broadcasting. Establishing a row traffic pattern at planting or soon after emergence, for all post-emergence field traffic, can be beneficial. Traffic patterns or tramlines can be established by closing one or more openings in the drill when planting the crop. This can be done by retrofitting the drill with clutches attached to the metering cup that can close the opening to leave unplanted rows that match the wheel spacing of your sprayer or tractor. Devices for drills can be purchased to establish tramlines on any tractor width, in multiple drill widths. Tramlines may also be established after the crop has emerged by chemically killing the rows with glyphosate (Touchdown) that match the wheel spacing of the implement used to apply fertiliser or pesticides.

Precision agriculture tools such as light bars and GPS guidance systems can help reduce the error of overlapping when chemically killing rows to establish tramlines. This method should be applied early, once the wheat has one to two developed leaves. Using tramlines in intensively managed wheat enables uniform applications of nutrients and pesticides with improved precision and timeliness. Tramlines can save on the cost of aerial applications, and can reduce the chance of disease development when compared to plants that are crushed by running over standing wheat. Studies have shown that the border plants will compensate 50 to 60% of the yield lost by the missing rows, whereas plant damage is much less.

Planting date is another critical component of successful wheat production. Planting too early or too late reduces yield potential. Always plant late maturing varieties first since these varieties most often have the longest vernalisation (the cooling of seed during germination in order to accelerate flowering when it is planted) requirements. Recognise though that some medium maturing varieties may also have long vernalisation requirements which makes them less suitable for late planting. Vernalisation requirement varies widely with variety.

In order for wheat to vernalise, temperatures must be low and remain cold for a specific length of time. In the absence of cold weather, wheat waits until enough heat units have accumulated and nights are short before heading. The warmer the temperature during grain fill, the poorer the yield and weight. If planting late in the season, choose an early maturing variety because they have, in general, very low vernalisation requirements.

Optimum seeding rates for wheat can vary widely due to differences in seed quality, genetics, planting conditions or planting dates, and planting methods (drill or broadcast). Seeding based on seeds per hectare is much more accurate than seeding based on weight per hectare. Multiple seeding rates studies have been conducted throughout the country and most show that seeding  200 plants per meter squared (m²), with a seed rate of 100 kgs per hectare though this will vary depending on seed size, germination and planting conditions. Planting by broadcast requires a higher seed rate of up to 140 kg/ha as does planting under zero tillage.

However, achieving this rate will require knowledge of seed size (number of seeds per kg). The use of certified seed will help ensure you are planting seed with a minimum germination of 90% and free of noxious weeds. Planting bin-run seed is not recommended as it infringes plant breeders’ rights (PBR), and robs seed companies of the chance to earn revenue on their innovation and undermines the ability to recoup their research and development investment.

Wheat production is done after the rain season around April/May therefore it requires irrigation, with water requirement of 400 to 600mm per season to guarantee a good crop. Fertiliser application is also critical at 400 to 500 kg/ha and top dressing at around 300 to 400 kg/ha.

Weeds compete with the crop for water, sunlight and nutrients and it’s critical that they are managed (Syngenta Axial, Dialen Super, Traxos), also need to look out for diseases and pests – Syngenta Amistar extra, Cherokee, Elastus Arc, Miravis neo are potent fungal control in wheat – Rust, Septoria and Powdery mildew, common insects such as (aphids and bollworm) can be controlled with Ampligo.

Successful wheat season to you all! Contact the author, Brian Mhango, Head of Commercial, at brian.mhango@syngenta.com