According to the USDA report released Oct. 13, about 68% of Kansas wheat has been planted this fall. This is near the 5-year average of 66%. Crop emergence is at or slightly below the 5-year mean at 36% (versus 38%).
From here until the end of the planting season, some producers may have delayed planting for different reasons, including harvesting a summer crop during October or having dry soils and waiting for precipitation before seeding.
The slight delay in emergence is also likely due to dry soils. In this context, it is important to remember that even for wheat planted at the right time but in the absence of moisture for germination, the effective planting date is delayed since this will be when the crop actually emerges.
Planting wheat in late October or early November is within the acceptable range in southeast Kansas.
In other areas of the state, this is later than desirable and later than the cutoff date for full crop insurance benefits. Although good yields may still be reached when wheat is planted outside the optimal planting window, late-planted wheat is often subjected to colder fall temperatures. It has less time to tiller before winter dormancy, which can reduce wheat yield potential and increase the risks of winter injury.
Under these circumstances, some management adjustments can be made to compensate for the consequences of late planting. These adjustments include:
Increase the seeding rate
Late-planted wheat tends to produce fewer tillers during the fall than wheat planted at the optimal time.
Fall tillers are generally more productive than spring tillers, contributing more to the crop’s yield potential. Therefore, increasing seeding rates is necessary to compensate for the reduced tillering.
Wheat seeding rates for Kansas vary depending on the precipitation zone and increase from west to east. Likewise, for every week planting is delayed, seeding rates should be increased by about 225,000 to 300,000 seeds per acre. Final seeding rate should not be above 120 to 130 pounds in eastern and central Kansas for grain-only wheat production.
Maintain the optimal planting depth
Wheat needs at least four to five leaves and one to two tillers before winter dormancy for maximum cold tolerance.
Late-planted wheat will most likely have fewer tillers and leaves than wheat planted at the optimal timing and, therefore, will be more susceptible to winter kill.
It is important to plant wheat at the normal planting depth of 1 to 1.5 inches below the soil surface to ensure good root development, anchorage and crown insulation by the soil during the winter, increasing the chances of winter survival.
Shallow-planted wheat is at greater risk of winter injury. If the seed is placed too deeply, it may not have enough vigor in cold soils to emerge well.
