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When you make your seed
decisions for the next growing season, can you accurately predict what the weather will be like in the upcoming summer? In April and May when you plant, can you guess what protein discounts or premiums will be
offered at harvest? The obvious answer to these questions is no. Every year, different challenges present themselves for both the growing environment and therefore, how you will be paid for your wheat crop. Since
you cannot outguess Mother Nature, the best way to produce a harvestable and marketable crop is to spread your risk with multiple wheat varieties. Depending on the size of your wheat operation, 3-4 varieties should
be a target. Here are four key considerationsin variety selection.
1. Maturity Timing - Spreading out maturities will not only spread out harvest, but will help reduce scab infection with different flowering stages, and the timing
of heat or frost damage. In 2009, a long and cool season, later maturing varieties performed very well, opposite from hot and dry years where early varieties finish before heat or drought stress. Normally, early
maturity helps escape scab infection, but this is not always the case. We don’t know what the weather will offer, so spread out your maturities.
2. Yield and Protein
Planting more varieties allows you to manage the balance between more yield potential versus higher protein potential. Since most varieties come with one at a cost of the other, you can choose varieties with different potential. Some years, like what we just experienced, protein premiums and discounts are very strong. Other years, it might not matter, or in extreme cases like 2002, even discounted for high protein. We
don’t know what will be of value when we plant, only that premiums will exist for what the market doesn’t have.
3. Disease Management Tan spot, leaf rust, septoria, and bacterial stripe do not always occur at economic thresholds and at every environment. We know that different varieties have
different levels of tolerance. A variety that held up to disease one year may not be as strong the next, depending on temperature, moisture, timing, or rotation. Having different varieties helps you manage that
change. Try to use varieties that offer better disease tolerance. Built-in tolerance is a better option than fungicides where timing and cost can be critical. 4. Scab management Even if we have not seen high
levels of scab the previous few seasons, do not forget about it when you choose varieties. Genetic tolerance and the timing of flowering have much to do with scab management. If the moisture and temperatures are conducive at flowering, scab will be an issue. Since you cannot control the environment, manage your scab risk by the varieties you select. Include
one or more varieties with better tolerance and remember that the most scab-tolerant varieties are still not “resistant” and in years with heavy pressure, fungicidesare still economical for these varieties.We talk a lot about risk management in farming. Since we have no control over the environment, get some
control over your production risk by choosing multiple varieties. This is the same as growing multiple maturity levels in your corn or soybean production, or spreading the risk of your retirement plan with different
investment funds. The good thing is that with the multitude of varieties available, you don’t have to look at the decision as an either/or scenario. You can find 3-4 choices that will range in maturity, protein and
yield, that may all have good disease tolerance and fit your farming practice and agronomic preferences.
Boehm is
regional manager for AgriPro Wheat and a board member of the MN Crop Improvement Assoc, with a master’s degree in plant breeding from NDSU. He can be reached at david.boehm@agripro.com.
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