Timely wheat planting biggest factor to yield success

It's getting to be that time of the year for growers to start making decisions about wheat variety selection and plans to plant wheat following fall harvest. MSU Extension Wheat Specialist Dennis Pennington says timely planting — weather and field conditions permitting — is an essential first step in achieving maximum wheat yield potential next year. “In terms of yield potential getting your wheat planted on time is the single most important management thing that you can do,” Pennington said. For southern Michigan, he recommends producers target the last week of September as the optimum plant date window. “As you move farther north in the state that number moves into the first part of October but certainly try to get it planted by Oct. 15, at the latest,” Pennington said. “If you plant later than that, your yield potential is lower so you want to bump up your seeding rates if you're planting a little bit later, but for high yield potential plant as early as possible.”

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