How to grow Winter Wheat
In central Europe Winter Wheat is usually sown between the 25th of September and 5th of October sometimes even 20th of October. Later seeding dates will influence the yield negatively.
Wheat will tiller during short day periods and those tillers will grow and bloom during the long day period.
Three main variety types are usually used which are:
1. Croptype: This crop-type will show medium tillering so that 330 Kernels per square meter should be the target during seeding.
The Thousand Kernel weight of this variety is around 40-50 g, therefore around 132 - 165 kg/ha are sown.
The harvested target grain density is at least 20000 kernels per square meter. That means at least 500 heads (around 40 Kernels per head) but 550-620 Heads per square meter are better.
2. Singlehead type:
Because this variety does as much tillers it has a high thousand kernel weight of 45-60 g.
About 113 to 150 kg/ha depending on the germination capacity should be sown.
The harvested target grain density is about 16000 - 20000 Kernels per square meter. So about 400 - 500 heads per square meter (>40 kernels per head) will bring you a decent yield.
3. Compensation type:
This type is usually used if there was a dry summer before seeding and not much water is available. Because of it’s ability to develop many tillers you can reach a harvesting grain density of 18000 - 22000 Kernels per square meter with 230 seeded Kernels per square meter. Varieties of the compensation type have usually 35 - 45 Kernel per head and 450 - 600 Kernel per square meter should be targeted. This type has usually a TKW of 40-55 g so that your yield could be around 72 dt/ha.
What variety is used depends on:
- target market
- production location
- disease pressure (crop rotation)
- efficiency
- yield potential and how secure the yield will be
Lodging can be a problem so that there is the danger of lower falling numbers, bad kernel development and higher fungus contents.
Lodging can be influenced by:
- variety selection
- N- Fertilization
- crop density
- diseases
