K-State Research and Extension

It's important to make sure the wheat is pre-chilled before taking a germination test. The pre-chilling helps break the dormancy in the seed. Any reputable seed lab will do that on a routine basis. Producers testing their seed at home should also pre-chill the wheat by putting it in the refrigerator at about 40 degrees for 5 days and then move to room temperature for an additional 5-7 days. If the seed is not pre-chilled, producers should wait a month and a half after harvest before testing for germination.

There is some difference among varieties regarding how long their summer dormancy requirement is and even that can vary from year to year. We believe the challenges at harvest have likely lengthened the dormancy in the wheat seed this year. Hard white wheats with poor sprouting tolerance, for example, have almost no summer dormancy requirement. They will germinate almost as soon as the seed is harvested. Other varieties have a relatively long summer dormancy requirement, and may not germinate well for five or six weeks after harvest unless the seed is pre-chilled. Unfortunately, there is no routine testing of varieties for their summer dormancy requirement, so we have no way of knowing which varieties will germinate shortly after harvest and which will take a longer period of rest.

By Labor Day, all varieties will have lost their summer dormancy and should germinate unless the seed is defective in some way. In addition, if seed is tested soon after harvest, it would still be a good idea to test again prior to harvest to be sure the germination has not been compromised due to heating or insect damage.

If there is any question about the viability of the seed, it is well worth the $17 it costs to have the seed tested for germination by a professional seed laboratory. This is especially true in areas where there was a rain delay at harvest or herbicide applications to control weeds for harvest. To the untrained eye, seeing some amount of shoot and root development would seem to be sufficient proof that the seed is in good condition. But that alone does not always mean you have a seedling that will develop into a healthy plant. A trained laboratory analyst evaluates each seedling to be sure that all essential parts exist and have sufficient development at the end of the test to, in fact, establish a normal, healthy, plant.

The lab at K-State sends tests to Kansas Crop Improvement Association in Manhattan. Samples can be dropped off at the Extension Office or at the K-State Experiment Station in Colby for shipping. The Extension Office will have the form to fill out to send it in or it is available on the K-State Sunflower District Agronomy webpage at www.sunflower.ksu.edu and click on the Agronomy tab.

Short (less than 2.5")	Medium (2.5 to 3.25")	Medium Long (~3.25")
	Antero	Aspen (white)
	AP503 CL2	Avery
	Canvas	Byrd
	Danby	LCS Mint
Medium Short (~2.5")	Everest	LCS Fusion AX
Clara CL	Guardian	Oakley CL
Fortify SF	Hatcher	T158
Joe (white)	KS Hamilton	TAM 112
WB-Grainfield	Langin	Tatanka
	LCS Chrome	Winterhawk
	LCS Revere	Long (more than 3.25")
	SY Monument	Brawl CL+
	SY Rugged	Denali
	SY Wolverine	TAM 111
	TAM 114	TAM 115
	WB4303	WB4462
	WB4595
	WB4721
	Whistler

*These are approximate coleoptile lengths. Growing conditions can change these lengths. Warm soil conditions can shorten the coleoptile.

*Adapted from Oklahoma State Wheat Variety Comparison and Wheat Varieties for Kansas and the Great Plains 2022.

The following table is based on results from 30 years of research data collected at the K-State Southwest Research-Extension Center at Tribune. The wheat yields listed were calculated from equation 3.5, table 3, page 1361 of "Yield—Water Supply Relationships of Grain Sorghum and Winter Wheat", L.R. Stone and A.J. Schlegel, 2006, Agron. J. 98:1359-1366. Wheat yields were calculated in response to both available soil water at emergence and total in-season precipitation.

In the above table, keep in mind that 2 inches of available soil water is equivalent to having moisture to a depth of one foot in a silt loam soil, since a silt loam soil holds about 2 inches of available soil water per foot. Likewise, 4 inches of available soil water means a silt loam soil is moist to a depth of 2 feet. In a sandy loam soil, 2 inches of available soil water would be moisture to a depth of roughly 1.33 feet.

The chart shows the influence of available soil water and in-season precipitation at producing long-term yield results. Having water in the fall is critical for germination, emergence, stand establishment, and vigor. Precipitation during winter is closely related with yield potential, providing for winter survival and increased soil water at the beginning of spring regrowth. Water in spring is normally most effective at increasing wheat yields if received at about boot through head extension, providing for decreased water stress at flowering and grain development.

In addition to carrying the wheat streak mosaic virus, it can also move High Plains Mosaic virus and Triticum Mosaic Virus. These viruses are nearly always found in conjunction with wheat streak mosaic and produce more severe symptoms than wheat streak mosaic alone.

To prevent the movement of the mites and viruses, it is critical that all volunteer within a half mile be completely dead at least two weeks prior to planting. Destroying volunteer wheat after the new wheat emerges is too late. The worse scenario is to have volunteer wheat dying as the newly planted wheat is emerging. The mites will move from their dying food source to the new, tender wheat to begin feeding again. The two weeks is critical because that gives the mites time to die due to lack of food.

Herbicide control and tillage are two options for controlling volunteer wheat. Tillage and herbicides are also often combined for an effective control program that leaves much of the stubble in place. Many burndown herbicides, such as glyphosate (Roundup, Durango, Glystar, Makaze, Touchdown, etc) or paraquat (Gramoxone), will provide control. Grazing volunteer is not an effective option because it does not provide complete control. Even intensive and close grazing still has green tissue that the mites can live on.

Neighbors also need to cooperate in finding "hidden" volunteer wheat. the "hidden" places might include field edges, ditches, and in double-cropped ground. Be especially sure to look in the direction of the prevailing wind!

Protein content is another factor related to seed quality. The amount of protein, not protein percentage, in the seed is very important to early seedling vigor. Large seed may have a lower protein percentage than small, shriveled seed, but because it is larger, it will have more total protein per seed.

Test weight of grain is often used as a measure of seed quality, but test weight is actually a bulk density or a weight per volume measurement. In other words, small seed that packs well can have a high test weight. All in all, we are used to test weights playing a role in having high quality seed. Therefore, seed wheat should have a test weight above 57 pounds per bushel. If thinking along he lines of seeds per bushel, an appropriate guideline for the minimum translates to 15,200 seeds per pound. The only exception to this would be the variety, Overley. This is a variety that has normally large seeds, at around 12,000 seeds per pound. In addition, cleaning seed can add 1 to 2 pounds to the seedlot's test weight by removing the small kernels.

It is also important to know the germination of your seed to determine seeding rate. Seed to be used for planting should be above 85% germination.

If you saved seed and are wondering about your seed's specs, it can be sent to Kansas Crop Improvement. They can help answer several questions associated with saved seed. These are some of the services that they provide as a germination test for $15.00 and a seed count (#/lb) for $4.00. If you are not a member of Kansas Crop Improvement, there is a $2.00 additional fee for the sample. To send a sample in, collect a 2 lb bag of seed wheat for the test. The turn around time for these tests is between 10 and 14 days.

Traditionally, seeding rate is viewed as pounds of seed per acre. However, seeding rates of wheat are increasingly viewed similar to corn seeding rates, as seeds per acre. This is due to the variability of seed size in seed wheat. For example, Overley is a variety that normally has large seeds when compared to other varieties. This would result in fewer seeds per pound and if planting in pounds per acre, fewer seeds planted per acre.

Lower seeding rates will tiller more than higher seeding rates. This can allow the wheat plant to make adjustments based on the available soil water. During tillering in the fall (mid October), wheat can use over 0.6 in/wk.

Seeding rates can be adjusted upwards by 10 to 20%, if planting conditions are good or if quicker cover is desired. Seeding rates should also be increased 50 to 100% when double-cropping behind row crops. This is due to the later planting date and compensating with challenges associated with seed-to-soil contact and residue. In addition, this also potentially compensates for the decreased time for tillering by adding more plants per acre.

Wheat can emerge from various depths, but a planting depth of 1 1/2 inches is optimal. The important part of planting depth is the length of the coleoptile. Coleoptile length is related to the height of the wheat. Many times a taller variety will have a longer coleoptile, although there are always exceptions. In addition, wheat emerging in hot soils can experience problems with the coleoptile. Extremely warm soil can cause the coleoptile to shorten and prevent it from emerging from the soil surface.

In dry soil, a hoe drill can help place seed deeper into soil moisture. However, when creating deep furrows, be aware that a heavy rain can further bury the seed. This can cause a deeper "planting depth" than intended and decreased seedling emergence.

Beginning in 2008, TAM 111 was planted Sept. 26, Oct. 10, Oct. 24 and Nov. 7. On each planting date each year, plots were planted at 60, 90, 120, and 150 lbs/ac. Eighty pounds of nitrogen and 30 pounds of phosphorus per acre were applied to the study area prior to planting.

The study indicated that although yield potential is reduced by planting wheat after the optimum window for a given area, some of the potential yield can be recovered by increasing the seeding rate. In the fall of 2008 and 2009 when wheat was planted on Sept. 26 and Oct. 10, wheat yields were similar across the planting rates of 60, 90, 120, and 150 lbs/ac. However, when wheat was planted on Oct. 24 or Nov. 7, the lowest yield for that date was observed with the 60 lbs/ac seeding rate and a stair-step increase was observed with the 90, 120, and 150 lbs/ac seeding rates on these dates.

"But it is important to note, that although the 150 lbs/ac seeding rate on Oct. 24 and Nov. 7 had the highest yield for that date, that yield was not as much as wheat planted during the more optimum planting period for the area of Sept. 26 to Oct. 10," said Northwest Area Agronomist Brian Olson.

In the first two years (2008-09 and 2009-10), moisture was adequate and emergence, development and yields were consistent, Olson said. But just like for producers in western Kansas, dry conditions during fall 2010 impeded the researchers' efforts. After an irrigation event at the end of October 2010, the all of the wheat emerged, regardless of planting date. This illustrates the fact that no matter when the wheat is planted, the potential yield is based on when it comes up!

The risk of fall infestation is almost always greater where wheat is planted before the BPMP date, especially during years favorable for fly development. Observance of the BPMP date also reduces the incidence of wheat streak mosaic and barley yellow dwarf viruses. The BPMP date strategy is based on studies conducted from 1918-1935, and BPMP dates are based on data collected more than 70 years ago, but are now being refined. The historical Hessian fly free dates for the following counties are September 15 in Cheyenne and Sherman, September 19 in Rawlins, September 20 in Thomas, and September 21 in Logan. There is not a defined fly-free date in Wallace County. These fly-free dates are still being updated.

The relatively mild fall weather in recent years, along with a slight increase in average fall temperatures over the last 30 years, has reduced the effectiveness of using this date as a planting guide. In studies conducted in Sedgewick County, Kansas, during 2006 -2010 using a Hessian fly phero­mone trap, adult flies were active until early December. It seemed that more adult flies were trapped after a rain. The impact of this extended Hessian fly activity on wheat or on fly population density is not known, but it is interesting to note that potential for Hessian fly infestation exists longer into the fall than historical data indicate. In addition, the BPMP date may not always present the best planting date for optimum yield, but on average, it correlates well. The BPMP date can be used on an individual-field basis but will be more effective when it is practiced area wide.

Planting too late is also risky. Growers may be surprised to learn that delaying planting too late in the fall can actu­ally increase the risk of Hessian fly infestation. While late planting dates may protect the field against fall infesta­tion, the result is smaller plants in the spring. And when the spring brood of flies is active in March or April, those females prefer younger plants for egg laying. Thus, if a source of infestation is nearby, very late-planted wheat of a susceptible variety may suffer extensive damage from spring infestations.

How do you know how old your seedlings are? Many start counting the age of the seedling from when the seedling root first emerges. Usually, the shoot (the second item to emerge from the seed) begins to emerge 2-4 days after the root emerges. This timeframe, however, can be altered by growing conditions. For example, the dry conditions can cause the root and shoot growth to occur over a longer period of days.

If some of your seedlings look like they are not going to make it, is your wheat stand still in the range for an optimum plant stand? The recommended seeding rates for western Kansas are 600,000 to 900,000. Considering an 80% germination, the plant population may vary from 450,000 to 750,000 plants per acre. For 7.5 inch rows, there should be between 7 and 10 plants per ft of row. For 10 inch rows, there should be between 9 and 14 plants per ft of row. For 12 inch rows, there should be between 11 and 17 plants.

If you are considering redrilling some wheat, remember the K-State guideline: if there is 50% of your desired stand = leave the stand. If there is 40% or less, redrill to thicken your stand.