Worried about this year’s state wheat crop? Chill out for now
There is no doubt about it: Colder-than-normal weather is having an impact on some U.S. crops this year.
But concerns about a major impact on the nation’s winter wheat crop by this year’s weather are premature, an Oklahoma agronomist and a farmer agreed Wednesday.
Both David Marburger, a small grains extension specialist who is an assistant professor at Oklahoma State University, and farmer Don Schieber said recent cold weather hasn’t really concerned them.
Instead, both said they are more worried about what may happen as planted winter wheat begins to reawaken from dormancy to resume its growth to maturity.
What Oklahoma’s wheat fields need now more than ever is some moisture, they observed.
“Right now, it is too early to start sounding any alarms,” Marburger said.
Still, Marburger said moisture has been and will continue to be a key factor for wheat growers in Oklahoma when it comes to their prospects for a good crop this year.
Wetter than normal weather in late September and early October slowed planting of this year’s crop in some areas, and Marburger said that gave the crop less time to establish itself before really cold weather moved in.
However, he also said soil conditions now appear to be good enough to sustain the wheat. Soil temperatures at two inches of depth are at or
above freezing in most parts of Oklahoma, and that's good, he observed.
"That's about the depth of the crown of the wheat plant, which is where our growing point is. As long as we keep that alive, we have a chance to make our grain yield, even if the plants above ground look dead."
Marburger said the plants are dormant and should be in their winter slumber.
"They aren't using a lot of soil moisture or needing a lot of nutrients, right now. This is the time they are most resistant to the cold weather," he said.
As plants begin to resume growing in mid-February and early March, Marburger said that's when he and Oklahoma's wheat growers will be paying close attention.
"If we don't get some rain as those plants start to grow again, we could be in trouble," he said.
Schieber echoed Marburger's observations, adding that he planted his winter wheat late in soil that had good levels of moisture, at the time.
While he agrees it has been cold, Schieber added he's seen worse.
"I've seen 42 below zero wind factors and still had good wheat crops the next May," Schieber said. "If we lose wheat, it is going to be more because it is dry than because it froze."