The Rural Voice, 1999-10, Page 43Advice
Fall planning can
maximize winter
wheat yields
By Chris Brown,
Soil & Crop Specialist,
OMAFRA Woodstock
A 100 bushel wheat crop does not
just happen. It occurs in fields with
good management - and some good
luck. A wheat producer with high
yielding wheat crops has usually put
a good deal of thought into variety
selection, planting date, plant
population, planting depth, soil
fertility levels and weed and disease
control. Those management factors
along with good timing and adequate
moisture and heat will put the high
yields into reach.
Variety selection! It's the key to
profit, according to Peter Johnson,
provincial wheat specialist with
OMAFRA. "But, wheat varieties
are changing. For example, based on
a huge number of comparisons, the
best yielding soft white over the last
three years (25W33) out yields the
old standard (Harus) by almost 8
bu/ac. Wheat is moving into the same
category as corn and soybeans. "You
just can't afford to be using genetics
from 10 years ago anymore. The life
span of a variety is shrinking from 10
years to only three or four."
It takes about 40 comparisons (or
replications) to get wheat variety
yield data that is credible. It is not
surprising, then, that the provincial
trial yield numbers do not show
tremendous shifts from year to year.
"Long term data is always best, but
long term data does not exist for the
hot new stars, so using short term
data is reality." Peter Johnson
reminds wheat producers "to be
careful using one year's data -1998
data showed a real anomaly. With
the cold weather in early June, the
wheat crop headed over a full 15
days, where the normal spread is only
four days. And due to the cold and
subsequent drought, every day later a
variety headed out meant Tess yield."
So what is the bottom line? Grow
the bulk of your acreage in proven,
high yielding varieties that perform
well on your farm and don't forget
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154th
Seaforth Fall Fair
October 7, 8, 9,
�o�r, . 9 1999
".\\3 FP�`FP1a
\_PRGEg1 EVERY DAY
Donations to the
Seaforth
Food Bank would be
appreciated
FglsF Efs'O,
• Commercial Exhibits
■ Homecraft Exhibits
■ School Exhibits
• Livestock
• Old McDonald's Farm
■ Canada's Magic Midway
THURSDAY, OCTOBER 7
Home Craft, School, Grain & Field
Crop entries to be in by 12:00 NOON.
12:00 Judging of above.
FRIDAY, OCTOBER 8
All Day - 4-H Achievement Programs
& Huron County Championship 4-H Show
- CKNX Broadcasting on Location -
10:30 a.m. - Parade with Cindy Cook
Theme - "Agriculture in the Future"
Leaving Optimist Park
Official Opening by
Fall Fair Ambassador
immediately after Parade
- Commercial Exhibits Open -
Cindy Cook on grounds all day
12:00 noon - Judging of
Herefords & Limousins
Youth Activities
- Judging of Sheep
Pedal Pull Registration
- Pedal Pull
- Ice Skating
- Variety Show
- Pork Carcass Auction
12:00 noon -
1:00 p.m.
1:00 p.m.
1:30 p.m.
2-4 p.m.
7:30 p.m.
8:30 p.m.
SATURDAY, OCTOBER 9
8 30 a.m Broomball
9:30 a.m - Pet Show
11:00 a.m. - Klash the Clown
12:00 noon - Judging of Charoias.
Simmentals. Blonde
& Jerseys
12:00 noon - Judging of Light &
Heavy Horses
12-4 p.m. - Backhoe Basketball
• 1:00 p.m. - Pedal Pull Registration
1:30 p.m. - Pedal Pull
2:00 p.m. - Baby Show
3:00 p.m. - Klash the
Clown
4:00 p.m. - Bike Draw
- Penny
Sale
OCTOBER 1999 39