Skip to main content
ARS Home » Plains Area » Brookings, South Dakota » Integrated Cropping Systems Research » Research » Publications at this Location » Publication #222031
Title: Growth and yield of winter wheat as affected by preceding crop and crop management

Author
item Anderson, Randal

Submitted to: Agronomy Journal
Publication Type: Peer Reviewed Journal
Publication Acceptance Date: 4/30/2008
Publication Date: 7/15/2008
Citation: Anderson, R.L. 2008. Growth and yield of winter wheat as affected by preceding crop and crop management. Agronomy Journal. 100:977-980.

Interpretive Summary: Producers in eastern South Dakota are interested in adding winter wheat to the corn-soybean rotation to improve crop yield and pest management. Our study quantified winter wheat response to the preceding crops, soybean, oat/pea mixture, and spring wheat. Winter wheat yielded the highest following oat/pea; in contrast, winter wheat yielded 28% less following spring wheat. Winter wheat developed faster following oat/pea compared to other preceding crops, and will be more competitive with weeds. Winter wheat production can be improved by growing oat/pea as a preceding crop, increasing the seeding rate, and banding a starter fertilizer by the seed at planting. Producers may want to consider longer rotations if they would like to grow winter wheat.

Technical Abstract: Producers in eastern South Dakota are interested in adding winter wheat (Triticum aestivum L.) to the corn (Zea mays L.)-soybean (Glycine max Merrill) rotation to improve crop yield and pest management. Our study quantified winter wheat response to preceding crop and crop management. Preceding crops were soybean, oat (Avena sativa L.)/pea (Pisum sativum L.) mixture, and spring wheat. Two crop management strategies, high-input and conventional, were compared. High-input management differed from conventional management by a 60% higher seeding rate and a split application of N fertilizer. Winter wheat with high-input management yielded the highest following oat/pea; in contrast, winter wheat with conventional management yielded 28% less following spring wheat. The yield component most affected by treatment was tillers m-2. Tiller density was 32% higher when winter wheat followed oat/pea compared to soybean. Winter wheat developed faster following oat/pea compared to other preceding crops, as determined by measuring solar radiation at the soil surface in early May and date of heading. Winter wheat production can be improved by growing oat/pea as a preceding crop, increasing seeding rate, and banding a starter fertilizer by the seed at planting.