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Winter wheat a strong option for producers this fall

Advances in research and conditions across the Prairies make winter wheat a strong option for producers to consider this fall, says an agronomist at Agriculture and Agri-Food Canada’s Lethbridge Research Centre.

Research has taken the guesswork out of management and raised the bar on the performance of winter wheat varieties, making the natural benefits of the crop available to more farmers, says researcher Brian Beres. Good moisture in Southern Alberta bodes well for production in the crop’s traditional growing area, and winter wheat is a good choice in many drought-stricken areas as a crop to prevent erosion.

“With new varieties and improved management strategies, the agronomic and environmental advantages of growing winter wheat are greater than ever before,” says Beres. “Producers can benefit whether their focus is crop performance or protecting the soil with a cover crop.” He adds that winter wheat is an excellent fit in zero tillage systems, as it performs best when seeded into standing stubble.

“The key is to seed winter wheat at the right time, not later than mid-September in Southern Alberta, and to not seed too deep,” says Beres. “Winter wheat should be seeded into standing stubble at a depth of one inch, even if the moisture is not there. It’s not like spring wheat seeding where you want seed placement at the depth of moisture.”

Winter wheat offers numerous environmental and agronomic benefits, says Beres. “Winter wheat makes efficient use of early spring moisture, which can be an important consideration in dry cycles. Growing winter wheat for the enhancement of bird habitat has long been advocated by Ducks Unlimited. Planting winter wheat also helps disrupt annual pest and disease cycles and allows farmers to spread out their fall and spring workloads.”

Recent rain in Southern Alberta has made soil conditions ideal for growing winter wheat this year, says Beres. “Soil moisture in Southern Alberta has been recharged by recent rain, and in areas where the rain came too late for this year’s crop, those rains will lend themselves to planting a winter wheat crop.” Beres adds that spring crops in some areas will be coming off early because of the drought, which will allow for the timely seeding of winter wheat.

“Winter wheat crops grew reasonably well on drought-stricken fields last year in Southern Alberta, when producers seeded winter wheat into pea fields that had little residue,” says Beres. “The key factors in those situations were the use of zero tillage seeders and seeding at the appropriate depth of one inch, even if the moisture was not there. Less than ideal moisture in the fall can lead to a late winter wheat crop with thinner stands. If rains come in the spring though, winter wheat’s high tillering capacity can overcome thin stands to produce a decent crop.”

Producers who haven’t considered winter wheat in the past may be surprised to hear about the improved performance of new varieties, he says. “A lot has changed with winter wheat in the past few years. New varieties have good winter hardiness, higher yield potential, strong straw, and better disease resistance. When well managed, today’s winter wheat varieties will surpass spring wheat in agronomic performance.”

The Agriculture and Agri-Food Canada winter wheat research team includes scientists in plant pathology, molecular biology, agronomy, plant breeding and other disciplines. One of the latest varieties to be developed is AC Bellatrix. This variety first became commercially available in 2001 and has been more widely available this year. “AC Bellatrix is one example of the characteristics in new varieties,” says Beres. “It features yield and quality improvements, good winter-hardiness and boasts greater bunt resistance.” Waiting in the wings is a wheat-curl-mite-resistant variety, AC Radiant, which is currently under multiplication.

With these and other research advances, the industry is recognizing the rising potential in winter wheat, says Beres. “For example, the Canadian Wheat Board is offering significant payment incentives and protein premiums for producers who grow milling-quality winter wheat varieties such as AC Readymade, AC Tempest, AC Bellatrix, and CDC Osprey.”

Beres’ current winter wheat research includes evaluation of crop residues and an assessment of companion nurse crops for winter wheat, and an appraisal of the growth and snow-trap potential of field crops to enhance winter wheat’s survival. Collaborative research agronomy projects have also been initiated with the Lacombe Research Centre in an effort to expand winter wheat production in the Parkland Belt.

Winter wheat research at Agriculture and Agri-Food Canada’s Lethbridge Research Centre illustrates the government’s commitment to promote innovation for growth, maintain security of the food system and protect the health of the environment, as proposed in the new Agriculture Policy Framework. The framework aims to increase profitability for producers by giving them the tools and capabilities to respond to constantly changing consumer demands for safe food produced in an environmentally responsible way.

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