|
| Rocks&Dust, I have seen and hear similar reports of jointed wheat following frosts falling over across a wide geography. This is a symptom of a frozen and damaged stem. I am also suggesting that it is a symptom of repeated freezing and thawing cycles that increased the moisture content of the stem, making it increasingly susceptible to freeze injury each time it froze.
I have photos somewhere that I need to find and post of a field that fell over (with similar circumstances) that made 40-50bu/ac. Now, before everyone thinks that will happen everywhere, there were some specific environmental conditions that allowed that to happen that year, these factors included cool, warm and wet weather following the freeze, which permitted tiller re-growth and grain fill. Now the other factors are how big is the wheat, how many smaller tillers there are, and how likely the tillers are to re-grow. If your wheat was at Feekes 7-8, the probability of re-growth is little to none. If the wheat was at Feekes 6-7, then the chance is high, assuming you get suitable weather for re-growth.
One thing to remember is that wheats ambition is to make grain. Now whether it makes a good yield or bad yield remains to be seen, but my suggestion of waiting 7+ days after the freeze to make an accurate damage accessment holds true.
Does that make sense?
Phil Needham
www.needhamag.com | |
|
Wheat Freeze Damage Update
