Winter Wheat Production in North Dakota

Extension Bulletin 33 (Revised), September 1997

Michael D. Peel, Extension Agronomist
Neil Riveland, Agronomist, Williston Research Extension Center

Other Contributors,
Dave Franzen, Phil Glogoza, Marcia McMullen, Richard Zollinger

In North Dakota, certain cultural practices are recommended to help ensure winter survival of winter wheat

Winter Wheat in North Dakota

In the past, winter wheat was grown primarily in southern North Dakota because of more severe winter injury in northern regions, but the use of improved cultural practices have allowed this crop to be grown statewide.

More efficient labor and machinery utilization and greater competition with weeds are major advantages of winter wheat. Good stands of winter wheat are especially competitive with wild oats and may reduce herbicide costs below those incured for spring wheat.

Characteristics of Winter Wheat

Winter wheat varieties adapted for growing conditions in North Dakota are of the hard red class. Current winter wheat varieties are day length sensitive and require a period of long days in order to flower and pollinate successfully. These wheats generally have good flour and bread baking characteristics; however, protein of winter wheat is typically lower than that of hard red spring wheat.

While the vegetative characteristics of hard red winter are similar to the hard red spring types, winter wheats must be exposed to near-freezing temperatures following germination to "vernalize" the plants and initiate reproductive development.

Winter wheat varieties possess varying degrees of winterhardiness. Hardened (plants have been acclimated to low temperatures) winterhardy varieties may withstand crown depth temperatures as low as -5^o F for a short time, while less winterhardy varieties will die. However, sustained temperatures of 0^o F at crown depth will usually cause stand loss even in the more winter-hardy varieties. Winter wheat plants that germinate in the fall will usually develop five to eight tillers compared to an average of three to five for spring types. Because there is additional time for development, winter wheat roots often extend deeper in the soil profile than do the roots of spring wheat. As a result of fall and early spring growth, winter wheat is ready for harvest one to two weeks earlier than spring wheat.

Cultural Practices for Increased Winter Survival

In North Dakota, certain cultural practices are recommended to help ensure winter survival of winter wheat. Objectives of these practices are to help provide snow cover to maintain warmer soil temperatures in the crown area. North Dakota research (Table 1) indicates that a minimum of 3 inches of snow cover is necessary to prevent winterkill due to low temperatures. Three inches of snow is sufficient protection during most North Dakota winters, but 4 to 6 inches of snow will further reduce the extent of crown injury and generally increase stand survival. When the crown suffers winter injury, some plants may survive, but spring recovery is delayed, stands are thinned, and yields are often reduced.

Table 1. Predicted daily minimum soil temperature at crown depth
relative to daily minimum air temperature for four snow depths.

Planting in Standing Stubble

Snow cover is necessary to protect dormant plants from winter kill and provide early spring moisture. Several methods can be used to provide snow cover. Winter wheat can be no-till seeded directly into flax, barley, mustard, canola, crambe sunflower or other standing crop residues left to catch the snow. Seeding into wheat or durum stubble will increase the risk of some diseases, but even this practice is often preferred to seeding into clean-tilled fields for moisture conservation and protection from cold weather. Grain stubble from no-till or chemical fallow fields should be left at least 6 inches tall to obtain the minimum snow cover required. Row crop stubble should be at least 30 inches high and at right angles to prevailing winds if possible.

Chaff and straw spreaders attached to the combine should be used to reduce interference with seeding and stand establishment. Light harrowing can provide additional straw and chaff spreading. Double harrowing or severe harrowing can easily flatten the stubble and increase the risk of winter injury.

Preparation of Fallow and Tilled Ground

Flax seeded in strips 3 to 5 feet wide and 15 feet apart on fallow ground provides good snow trapping and the least moisture competition with the winter wheat crop. Set the drill at a high flax seeding rate of 40-60 pounds per acre and tape enough drill spouts shut to obtain desired spacing.

Flax strips more than 20 feet apart are often seeded but will protect only about half of the strip unless snow cover is above average. Seed flax strips about August 1 but no later than August 15 depending on the region of the state. Flax stand establishment in western North Dakota is extremely variable most years because of dry seedbeds and grasshoppers.

Other methods that may be used to provide some snow cover are narrowly spaced tree windbreaks, perennial grass barriers, and the use of hoe drills. Hoe drills, which permit seed placement in deep furrows and trap snow over the seed row, are highly recommended for bare fallow, stubble mulch or chemical fallow fields and will improve winter survival under most conditions.

Seedbed Preparation

Planting should be done in a firm seedbed at a depth of 1� to 2 inches. Untilled stubble fields are usually firm. Rod weeders or drag harrows can be used to firm up fallow fields. Plowing or other deep tillage immediately prior to planting buries protective residue, produces a loose seedbed and increases the risk of winterkill (Table 2).

Table 2. Effect of tillage method on percent survival of two
winter wheat varieties at Fargo, North Dakota.

Soil Fertility

Fertilizer requirements for winter wheat are based on a soil test and yield expectations (Table 3).

Table 3. Winter wheat fertilizer recommendations.

* YG = yield goal
** Reduce P + K rates 1/3 for band applications at low and very low level only.

Phosphorus aids overwinter survival by stimulating root growth and fall tillering. Winter wheat germinates and makes its fall growth in a period of declining soil temperatures as contrasted with spring wheat, which germinates and grows while soil temperatures rise. The secondary root system that develops with tillering is essential for a healthy deep-rooted plant capable of withstanding stress. While important, the contribution of phosphorus to overwinter survival is secondary to varietal winter hardiness and soil temperatures at the growing point in the plant crown.

Where soil tests results indicate phosphorus is low, a broadcast, drill row, or banded application of the needed rate is recommended. Phosphorus placed with or near the seed is most efficient.

The seedbed soil moisture supply affects both germination and the fertilizer program. In a dry or low moisture seedbed, the combined nitrogen and potassium applied in the drill row with the seed should not exceed 10 pounds per acre. With adequate seedbed moisture, the combined drill row application of these products should not exceed 15 pounds. Higher fertilizer rates can be applied with the seed when an air-seeder is used. Salts associated with these nutrients and free ammonia that can be released from dry nitrogen products can both delay and reduce germination. This effect is most pronounced in dry, rapidly cooling seedbeds.

Drill row nitrogen restrictions may limit drill row phosphate that can be applied as diammonium phosphate (18-46-0) or blends of diammonium phosphate and urea (46-0-0) such as 27-14-0 and 20-20-0. Fertilizer products such as triple superphosphate (0-46-0) and monoammonium phosphate (11-55-0) allow higher phosphorus application rates.

Winter wheat's fall demand for nitrogen is low and does not exceed the rate that can safely be applied in the drill row at seeding time. In southern winter wheat growing areas the combined roots and tops contain about 20 pounds of nitrogen per acre when the crop goes dormant. In North Dakota, fall growth before freezeup is limited and nitrogen accumulated in the plant will be half or less of the Southern Plains value.

Winter wheat nitrogen needs can be met with anhydrous ammonia (82-0-0) applied prior to seeding. Urea (46-0-0) can be applied as a broadcast application in the late fall prior to freezeup or in early spring. Ammonium nitrate is often superior to urea for late spring applications but should not be applied in the fall because of leaching and soil movement concerns. Spring nitrogen applications should be made as soon as possible after the crop breaks dormancy but no later than fifth leaf stage.

Nitrogen applications on snow are not recommended. Snow compaction under wheel tracks destroys snow insulation properties and may result in winterkill beneath the track. Movement of N offsite is also a problem on deeply frozen soils when snow melts in the spring.

Potassium and sulfur levels in many North Dakota soils are inherently high, and applications of these materials are seldom needed. However, when soil test results indicate levels are low, the crop responds well and applications are profitable.

Winter wheat may also respond to chloride, especially if soil test levels are less than 30 lb/A at a depth of 2 feet. Yield increases have been attributed to disease suppression and physiological requirements. Some varieties are more responsive than others. It is difficult to build up soil chloride levels. Chloride applications should meet the needs of the immediate year as directed by soil testing.

Winter wheat micronutrient requirements are low and soil levels are usually adequate in North Dakota.

For more information, see NDSU Extension publications: Fertilizing Hard Red Spring Wheat, Durum, Winter Wheat and Rye, SF-712 and The North Dakota Fertilizer Hand Book, EB-65.

Seeding Dates

The recommended seeding dates for winter wheat are September 10 to September 30 in the southern half of North Dakota and September 1 to September 15 in northern regions. Planting after the recommended dates may reduce winter survival and grain yields and also delay maturity of the crop. Planting prior to the recommended date unnecessarily depletes soil moisture reserves, increases risk of disease and may reduce winter survival (Table 4).

Table 4. Effect of planting date on winter survival of winter wheat.

Summerfallow ground 1967 - 1973, Williston, North Dakota

Seeding Rate

Winter wheat should be seeded at a rate of 900,000 viable seeds per acre or about 70 pounds per acre. Higher seeding rates are suggested for late seeding or for poor seedbed conditions. If sized seed is used, a seed count is necessary to determine seeding rate in pounds.

Varieties

Plant only the most winterhardy varieties available (Table 5). Of the current varieties, Roughrider, Agassiz, Seward and Elkhorn possess the best combination of winterhardiness and yield. Roughrider is early, has strong straw and is resistant to some prevalent races of stem rust. Agassiz and Seward are also resistant to stem rust but to different races than is Roughrider. Norstar is susceptible to stem rust and matures later than Roughrider; it is not recommended in North Dakota.

Table 5. Hard Red Winter Wheat variety descriptions.

   + 1.0 = Very poor quality; 2.0 = Poor quality; 2.5 = Poor to average quality;
    3.0 = Average quality; 3.5 = Average to good quality; 4.0 = Good quality; 
    Quality assessed by the Department of Cereal Science, NDSU 
  ++ Varieties with less than good winterhardiness should be seeded only in 
    tall stubble or in standing solid seeded or narrow strip flax. 
  * Semidwarf. 
 ** Saw fly resistant. 
   ^ R = resistant; MR = moderately resistant; MS = moderately susceptible; 
    S = susceptible. 
  ^^ Susceptible in artificially induced epidemics. 
 ^^^ Slow rusting type of resistance to race 15. 
^^^^ Occasionally mixed with some susceptible plants. 

Location in State

Winterkill can occur in all regions of the state, but the degree of risk without snow cover is highest in the northeast section and lowest in the extreme southwest (Figure 1).

Figure 1. Areas of winterkill risk. Area 1 - lowest, Area V - highest.

Stand Evaluation

Stands of winter wheat are often reduced by winter injury. Don't be hasty to destroy winter wheat stands. It may be mid-April or later before degree of recovery is evident.

Research from the USDA-ARS Northern Great Plains Research Center, Mandan, ND indicates that stands of about 17 plants per square foot are required to produce maximum winter wheat yields, but, stands of 11 plants per square foot can still produce yields of 40 bushels per acre. If only portions of the field are severely injured, stands of five to eight plants per square foot in the damaged areas can still produce satisfactory yields (see NDSU Extension circular A-934, Replanting After Early Season Crop Injury, on replanting decisions). This is particularly true in western North Dakota where yield potential may be lower than 40 bushels per acre. Weeds are more of a problem in thin stands and extra herbicide treatments may be required. To avoid class mixtures, don't interseed large areas of the field with spring wheat. If it is necessary to interseed large areas, square up the area to be interseeded and combine separately from the winter wheat.

Weed Control

Well established winter wheat is more competitive with summer annual weeds than are spring cereal grains, so, there may be less dependance on chemical weed control. The top growth of a healthy stand of winter wheat has good ground cover which shades the soil and prevents weed germination. The roots of a healthy stand of winter wheat reduces weed germination and acts as a strong competitive force against weed growth. For example, annual weeds such as wild oats and green and yellow foxtail are rarely a problem in vigorous winter wheat fields.

The primary weed problems in winter wheat are winter annual weeds or those weeds that have the same life cycle as winter wheat. Typical winter annual weeds include downy brome, cheat grass, jointed goat-grass, horseweed, prickly lettuce, biennial wormwood, field pennycress, tansy mustard, flixweed, shepherd's purse and many other mustard species.

Several herbicides are available for control of emerging winter annual weeds. Before seeding, burndown herbicides may be required to control existing vegetation. Herbicides currently available include 2,4-D, Banvel (dicamba), Roundup (glyphosate), and Gramoxone Extra (paraquat). Glyphosate is contained in a some premix products, such as Landmaster BW and Fallow Master. Research has shown excellent weed control from Roundup Ultra at 1 pt/A of a 3 lb/gallon concentration (0.38 lb per acre) + 2,4-D at 0.3 pt/A of a 4 lb/gallon concentration (0.62 lb per acre) which is sold as a premix, Landmaster BW at 54 fl. oz. per acre. More mature or drought stressed weeds may require a higher rate of product to achieve the same degree of control than if weeds were actively growing. Addition of ammonium sulfate improves control of both annual and perennial weeds. Wait 7 to 10 days before planting if 2,4-D is used. See Banvel label for restrictions and waiting periods if applied as a preplant treatment. Gramoxone Extra at 1.5 to 3 pints per acre may also be used. Fargo (triallate) can be preplant incorporated with a field cultivator before planting or incorporated shallow after planting with harrows for wild oat control.

If winter annual broadleaf weeds escape control in the fall, they can be treated in early spring. Herbicide applications should be made when the weeds are in the rosette stage. Winter annual weeds are most sensitive to herbicides at this stage rather than later after plants have bolted (elongation of the flower stalk). Apply herbicides within the recommended growth stage of winter wheat. Application earlier or later than recommended will result in increased risk of crop injury.

Several herbicides are available for spring broadleaf weed control. They include: 2,4-D, MCPA, bromoxynil (Buctril, others), bromoxynil + MCPA ester (Bronate, others), Tordon 22K (picloram) + 2,4-D or MCPA, Banvel (dicamba) or Banvel SGF + 2,4-D amine or MCPA amine, Stinger (clopyralid), Curtail (clopyralid + 2,4-D) and Curtail M (clopyralid + MCPA). Ally (metsulfuron), Amber (triasulfuron, Canvas (thifensulfuron + tribenuron + metsulfuron), Express (tribenuron), Finesse (chlorsulfuron + metsulfuron), Harmony Extra (thifensulfuron + tribenuron), and Peak (prosulfuron) should be applied with 2,4-D or another phenoxy herbicide for safening of the sulfonylurea herbicide, increased weed control, and prevention of weed resistance. Ally, Amber, Canvas, Finesse, and Peak herbicides can leave residue for more than one year. Follow label directions regarding use rates, soil pH restrictions, and amount of rainfall after application when considering crop rotation. Most of these herbicides should not be applied to soils with a pH greater than 7.8 as residue may injure sensitive crops grown in successive years.

For postemergence foxtail control Stampede (propanil), Hoelon (diclofop), Cheyenne (fenoxaprop + MCPA + thifensulfuron + tribenuron), and Tiller (fenoxaprop + 2,4-D + MCPA) may be applied. For spring postemergence wild oat control Hoelon, Avenge (difenzoquat), Assert (imazamethabenz), Cheyenne, and Tiller may be applied. For wild oat and foxtail (pigeongrass) control Hoelon, Cheyenne, Dakota (fenoxaprop + MCPA) or Tiller can be applied.

Residues from herbicides applied the spring or summer prior to seeding winter wheat may cause wheat injury. When persistent herbicides such as dinitroanilines (trifluralin (Treflan, others), Prowl, or Sonalan), atrazine, or high rates of Banvel or Tordon have been used, a soil bioassay or residue test should be conducted to determine the potential for winter wheat injury. The coleoptile of wheat is more sensitive to trifluralin than the roots. Where trifluralin residues are suspect, shallow seedings of no more than 2 inches deep decrease the potential for wheat seedling injury.

For additional information and comments about weed control in winter wheat with herbicides consult the most recent issue of NDSU Extension circular W-253, North Dakota Weed Control Guide, offered through the NDSU Extension Service.

Disease Control

Winter wheats are subject to the same diseases as spring wheat.

Tan Spot is a fungus disease that causes leaf spots on spring and winter wheats. The disease is most severe in humid weather and is a common problem in eastern North Dakota, where annual losses average 7 percent but reach as high as 30 to 40 percent. Tan spot is also severe in western North Dakota in those occasional years with high moisture and humidity.

The tan spot fungus survives on wheat stubble and straw. Tan spot is more severe and begins earlier where winter wheat has been planted into wheat stubble or straw. Planting winter wheat into the standing stubble or straw of any other crop, including barley or oats, avoids this early build-up of tan spot. None of the recommended varieties are resistant to tan spot. Fungicides can be used to help control tan spot (see leaf rust).

Leaf rust is another common fungus disease of winter wheat. Each year the rust spores blow in from the major winter wheat producing areas farther south. Rust builds up late in the season and is a common cause of economic losses in eastern North Dakota. At present none of the varieties with the best winter hardiness are highly resistant to leaf rust. A few varieties of winter wheat are rated moderately resistant to the current (1997) prevalent races of leaf rust. Some varieties of winter wheat are also susceptible to stem rust (Table 5) and should not be planted in eastern North Dakota. Fungicides can be used to help control leaf rust.

Fungicides are used to protect the flag leaf of wheats from infection by tan spot and leaf rust. Fungicides are suggested for use on potentially high yielding winter wheat. Mancozeb fungicide (Dithane, Penncozeb, Manzate 200), registered for both tan spot and leaf rust control, should be applied twice, at the rate of 1�-2 pounds per acre. The first application should be made in the early boot stage, as soon as the flag leaf emerges. A second application should be made about 7 to 10 days later. Propicanazole (Tilt) is a systemic fungicide registered for leaf spot and leaf rust control. Tilt should be applied at early flag leaf emergence at the 4 fl. oz./A rate. Triadimefon fungicide (Bayletan) is registered for the control of leaf rust at the rate of 4-8 ounces per acre and should be applied once, at the boot stage. Read and follow label directions. Several other fungicides are also registered for winter wheat, including copper fungicides or a copper plus Mancozeb fungicide. Other fungicides may be registered in the future. Consult the current extension publication PP-622 Field Crop Fungicide Guide, for updated information on registered fungicides.

Fusarium head blight (scab) is a fungus disease that may affect winter wheats as well as all spring wheats. The fungus survives in wheat, barley and corn residue and may infect the crop from the flowering stage to early dough stage when precipitation and humidities are high. The disease is generally not as severe in winter wheat as in spring wheat in North Dakota because the winter wheat crop has flowered earlier, during a relatively dry period, and escapes infection. However, winter wheat varieties available for production in North Dakota are very susceptible to scab and could become infected if favorable weather coincided with flowering.

Seedling blight, caused by the common root rot fungus, is more severe when soil temperatures are above 60 degrees F at planting time. These seedling disease problems can reduce winter survival. Seeding at the appropriate time may result in cooler, more favorable soil temperature for the crop and temperatures less favorable for root rot.

Seed treatment can be used to control certain seedling blight and smut problems. Bunt (stinking smut) does not occur in North Dakota but is present in Montana and other nearby states and could become a problem in the future. Seed treatment with carboxin, maneb, PCNB, imazalil, difenoconazole, thiram, or certain other chemicals will help reduce seedling blights and the danger of bunt. Carboxin and difenoconazole also will control loose smut. Loose smut can build up from year to year in wheat. Common root rot, which is more severe in winter wheat planted in soil at temperatures of 60 degrees Fahrenheit or greater, may be suppressed with the seed treatment fungicides imazalil, difenoconazole, and triadimenol. Imazalil is sold under the trade names Flo-Pro Imz, Nuzone, and Agsco RR. Difenoconazole's trade name is Dividend, and triadimenol's trade names is Baytan. Read and follow label directions.

Take-all root rot is favored by continuous wheat culture and high soil moisture. This disease generally is not a problem in North Dakota except for irrigated fields. Take-all causes the heads of affected plants to turn white and the lower portions of the stem to turn a shiny black. Take-all can cause severe losses. Rotations involving no wheat for three or four years are required to reduce take-all levels once the take-all fungus has built up in the soil. Several seed treatments are registered, difenoconazole and triadimanol, that help suppress take-all.

Wheat streak mosaic can be a very serious disease of winter wheat in most of North Dakota. All winter hardy varieties commercially grown in North Dakota are susceptible to wheat streak mosaic virus. Affected plants develop yellow streaks on the leaves and are often stunted. An affected field may be uneven in height due to the stunting of infected plants. Wheat streak mosaic can cause moderate to severe yield reductions of both winter and spring wheats and occasionally may cause complete crop failure in selected areas of fields. Wheat streak mosaic is a virus disease that is transmitted by the wheat curl mite, which is so tiny that it can't be seen without magnification. This mite is wind borne from field to field. Wheat streak mosaic often spreads from volunteer wheat to winter wheat in the fall and in some years may spread from winter wheat to spring wheat in the spring. Corn fields also can be a source of the wheat curl mite and the wheat streak mosaic virus.

Wheat streak mosaic can be controlled or reduced by destruction of all volunteer wheat at least two weeks before planting winter wheat. When possible, seed no closer than 1/8 mile to corn or fields with volunteer wheat. Planting winter wheat after September 1 reduces the chances of fall infections, which are extremely damaging. Earlier seeding of winter wheat often results in fall infection and build-up of the mite and virus before fall freeze-up.

When winterkill is severe the practice of seeding spring wheat into bare spots increases the risk that the spring wheat will become infected in the seedling stage with the wheat streak mosaic virus, causing severe losses in the spring wheat. Many spring wheats and durums are very susceptible to wheat streak mosaic. Butte 86 is one of the more tolerant hard wheats. Ward is a more tolerant durum, but all varieties may have severe infection under high disease pressure.

Insect Control

Winter wheat can be attacked by the same insects that attack hard red spring wheat. However, the only species that are likely to be of economic consequence in winter wheat are grasshoppers and aphids. Wheat stem sawfly, wheat stem maggot and Hessian fly life cycles in North Dakota are more in synchronization with hard red spring wheat development than winter wheat. Consequently, the presence of these insects in winter wheat is usually negligible and of minor or no economic importance. However, winter wheat can serve as an overwintering site for wheat stem maggot and Hessian fly, thus helping to perpetuate these insect problems in hard red spring wheat.

Grasshoppers can cause severe damage in winter wheat during the fall or spring. In the fall, grasshoppers are in the adult stage and are consuming large amounts of plant material. Also, they are depositing eggs in the soil at this time, and if considerable egg laying occurs in winter wheat, the potential for damage to the crop next season by the young grasshoppers (nymphs) is great, especially if weather conditions favor a high degree of survival. Field monitoring during both fall and spring can provide a better understanding of infestation levels, feeding damage and a determination of when infestations might be reaching economic and treatable levels.

Aphids that attack wheat and other small grains in North Dakota are more likely to reach economic infestation levels on spring planted grains than on fall planted grains. However, with the right environmental conditions, rapid early season population increases can impact winter wheat, and late season populations from spring grains and other suitable grass plants can migrate to winter wheat and can merit control. Greenbug aphids, which are quite cold tolerant, can occur in sufficient numbers some seasons to warrant attention.

For additional information see the following NDSU extension publications: E-680 (revised), Wheat Stem Insect Pests and Management Practices; E-272 (revised), Grasshopper Biology and Management; E-493 (revised), Aphid Control in Small Grains, Corn and Sorghum; and EB-45, Insect Pest Management For Farm Stored Grain.

Harvesting and Storage

Winter wheat can either be swathed and combined or combined standing the same as spring wheat. Winter wheat is ready to swath when most kernels have lost all green color. To minimize shatter loss, straight cutting should start at about 22 percent moisture followed by drying. Grain moisture levels of 10-12 percent are recommended for year-long storage. If the grain temperature is below 55 degrees Fahrenheit, winter wheat can be stored at 13 percent moisture or less during the winter months. Aeration is suggested to obtain uniform temperatures throughout the bin. All grain bins should be cleaned and treated with an insecticide before filling. Check grain bins frequently for hot spots and insect damage.

Early harvest of hard red winter wheat is an advantage to North Dakota producers because it spreads the harvest workload. Quality of the crop is usually excellent.

Marketing

Mixing winter wheat with spring wheat or durum causes serious marketing problems and generally results in price discounts. Because of different kernel types, grain graders can readily detect mixtures of winter wheat with hard red spring or durum. Wheat of contrasting classes such as durum, if present in red wheat as more than 1 percent of the total, will lower the numerical grade. Wheat of other classes such as hard red spring in hard red winter wheat will reduce the numerical grade if found in amounts exceeding 3 percent of the total. If wheat of contrasting classes or other classes exceeds 10 percent of the total, the winter wheat sample shall be classed as mixed wheat, a type often heavily discounted in domestic markets. Winter wheat fields with large interseeded areas should be combined separately to avoid mixing wheat classes.

At present, "Hard Red Winter" is the only official subclass designated by the U.S. Grain Inspection Service for hard red winter wheat. In contrast, there are three official subclasses each for hard red spring and durum wheat. Farmers or elevator operators who desire an accurate estimate of the official grade can send a submitted sample to a licensed grain inspection service. Licensed grain inspected offices for North Dakota are presently located at Minot, Jamestown, Grand Forks and Fargo.

Summary - Winter Wheat Production

• Fall seeding and early summer harvest spreads workload.
• Plan the next year's crop at harvest time.
• Select a winterhardy, disease resistant, high-yielding variety from a reliable seed source.
• Destroy all volunteer wheat to break life cycle of wheat curl mite (no live wheat plants for 14 days).
• Apply adequate fertilizer to achieve maximum yield potential.
• Follow recommended seeding dates and rates.
• Seed into standing crop residues capable of trapping and holding a protective snow cover.
• Use a grain drill capable of seeding through surface residues to place seed in a firm seedbed and covered 1�-2 inches deep.
• Plan for weed control prior to planting in the fall and for early spring seedling weed growth stages.
• Inspect for leaf diseases and manage for flag leaf protection.
• Plan for harvesting needs and harvest promptly at maturity, dry if necessary.
• Bin and market hard red winter wheat separate from hard red spring wheat.

Extension Bulletin 33 (Revised), September 1997

NDSU Extension Service, North Dakota State University of Agriculture and Applied Science, and U.S. Department of Agriculture cooperating. Sharon D. Anderson, Director, Fargo, North Dakota. Distributed in furtherance of the Acts of Congress of May 8 and June 30, 1914. We offer our programs and facilities to all persons regardless of race, color, national origin, religion, sex, disability, age, Vietnam era veterans status, or sexual orientation; and are an equal opportunity employer.
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