STEPS FOR THE SUCCESSFUL PRODUCTION
OF
STUBBLED-IN WINTER WHEAT

In western Canada, a high frequency of winterkill makes winter wheat sown into conventionally tilled seedbeds an unacceptably high-risk crop outside of the chinook belt in southwestern Alberta. The no-till seeding of winter wheat into standing stubble from a previous crop (stubbling-in) has proven to be a successful method of reducing the risk of winterkill. During the winter the standing stubble traps snow. The snowcover keeps soil temperatures warm enough to allow overwintering of winter wheat throughout the prairie region.

The production of stubbled-in winter wheat is straight forward and simple, but it does require the use of management practices different from those commonly employed by most prairie farmers. This outline is presented as a simplified guide that highlights the steps most experienced growers follow during the winter wheat production year. The chapters that follow in this manual provide more detailed information on each step on the path that has lead to the successful production of stubbled-in winter wheat.

In Saskatchewan, winter wheat is normally no-till seeded into standing stubble from a previous crop in late August, or early September, and harvested early the following August. Because of the requirement for standing stubble, winter wheat is better suited to rotations that include early maturing spring crops. Consequently, winter wheat growers must start planning for next years crop well before this years crop is harvested. This necessitates a production schedule that considers management decisions over a period of two or more crop years.


Winter - Year 1

1. Obtain reliable production information. Successful winter wheat production requires the acquisition of special management skills. Emphasis must be placed on stubble management and the seeding operation.

2. Start planning your rotation early. Best results have been obtained when winter wheat is seeded into the stubble of early planted, early maturing crops such as "Polish type" rapeseed or barley. Winter wheat on winter wheat has also been successful, but there is an increased risk of disease when wheat is grown as a continuous crop. In years when harvest is early and fall moisture is adequate, many of the later maturing crops such as spring wheat, flax and "Argentine type" rapeseed have also been successfully used to provide standing stubble as a snow trap for winter wheat production.

Before Seeding

3. Control perennial weeds before winter wheat is seeded. Winter wheat provides excellent competition for most weeds. However, established perennial weeds can be difficult to manage during the winter wheat crop year.

4. Get organized for planting well before the day you expect to pull the drill into the field. Winter wheat seeding usually conflicts with harvest and most farmers do not have the time to clean and treat seed, locate fertilizer or repair seeding equipment during this busy time of the year.

• Plant clean seed. Take special precautions to avoid the introduction of weeds, such as Downy Brome, from other winter wheat production areas.
• Treat seed to ensure the establishment of healthy stands and the control of smut.
• Seed recommended varieties.
• Seed place phosphate fertilizers at recommended rates.

August to September - Year 1

5. Spread straw and chaff uniformly on fields that are to be seeded to winter wheat. Where seeding is to be done with a hoe drill, straw must be well chopped.

6. Seed winter wheat in late August in the north and early September in the south of the agricultural area of Saskatchewan. Winter wheat plants should be well established (approximately three leaves) before freezeup.

7. Seed shallow. Seed should be covered with soil that is well packed. Seeding is the most critical operation in the production of "stubbled-in" winter wheat. It can only be accomplished satisfactorily with a properly adjusted no-till drill.

8. Make every effort to conserve soil moisture during seeding. Fall moisture is more limiting to successful stubbled-in winter wheat production than is winterkill. Unnecessary tillage and improper drill furrow closure are two of the most common reasons for soil moisture losses. Chemical summerfallow can be employed to ensure that there is adequate fall moisture to establish winter wheat, but difficulties have been experienced in maintaining enough standing stubble for a snow trap during the second winter.

9. Seed at recommended rates. Farmers in regions with favorable growing season weather conditions should use higher seeding rates than farmers in regions with a high risk of drought. Thin winter wheat stands have the potential to tiller. However, thin stands usually produce lower yields and they may be later maturing.

October to the middle of June - Year 2

10. Control broad-leaf winter annual weeds through the proper use of herbicides applied in the late fall or early spring.

11. Correct soil nitrogen deficiencies by the application of ammonium nitrate (34-0-0) fertilizer in the early spring or late fall at recommended rates. Do not surface-apply urea except under special conditions. Compared to spring wheat, winter wheat is usually more responsive to nitrogen fertilization.

12. Do not be too hasty in plowing down a poor looking spring stand. Winter wheat is usually ragged looking in the early spring. It will look much better by the time it arrives in the bin.

13. Pay close attention to perennial and summer annual weed development in the early spring. Many weed problems can be reduced or eliminated through the timely use of chemicals.

August - Year 2

14. Winter wheat has little or no seed dormancy and care must be taken to prevent sprouting once it reaches maturity. Do not let winter wheat lie in the swath any longer than is absolutely necessary. Exposure to damp, warm weather in August can result in rapid deterioration of the crop. Many farmers have attempted to reduce the risk of sprouting by straight combining. Warm temperatures in August, when winter wheat is normally harvested, make aeration drying an attractive option.