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6 in v. 7.5 in wheat
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Wildcat385
Posted 2/13/2021 09:26 (#8828810 - in reply to #8825189)
Subject: RE: 6 in v. 7.5 in wheat


Central KS
otis34 - 2/11/2021 18:32

Hi everyone. We have started raising wheat again and are looking into ways to increase yields. All wheat is no-tilled after soybean harvest, typically in October. We are currently on 7.5 inch rows and am interested in narrow rows. Great plains does make their sd and hd drills in 6 inch rows, although they don’t seen to be very popular.

Has anyone done and comparisons of 7.5 in rows v. More narrow spacing? I do have one farm that was double drilled at 1/2 rate on 10 degree angle, but unfortunately did not do any other test strips with offset double planted rows or anything similar.

Also, if anyone wants to chime in on their experience with great plains 6 inch drills that would be great. We would be looking at the 3s-4000HD or 3s-5000HD.
Thanks in advance.


If you are going to have many no tilled wheat acres at all, I would not even consider a Great Plains HD drill. They are a great minimum till drill, we ran them for nearly 20 years. Had 7.5" and 10". But they are not a no till drill. May get by in the sand, but if your soil has any clay in, if conditions aren't just right, you won't get seed in the ground like it needs. Epecially with a 6" or 7.5" spacing drill where your down pressure is considerably less per row.


Residue management behind your combine is also get important behind soybeans. If combine left thicker residue behind machine, you will notice winter kill spots in combine tracks due to seed not getting in ground as deep. This will be way more noticeable with wheat drilled with a box drill than with an air seeder. For the money you would spend to buy a good 3S5000HD drill, you could definitely find an air seeder that would do a better job.
Other factors will play as big a role as what you seed with, but if high yield is your goal, seed placement is important.


Several things I would say on growing higher yielding wheat.

#1. As in any crop what the weather does, is limiting factor you have least control over.

#2. A close 2nd would be fertility. Fertilizer amounts and timing are very important.

#3. Next in my opinion would be variety. Going in behind soybeans, a high tillering variety is very important. I would look hard at Monument or WB Grainfield. Both perform very well planted later behind beans.

#4. Behind soybeans, a timely herbicide application will be necessary.

I have found in my area, as prices decreased, rather than looking for ways to make more money growing wheat, guys just cut inputs. No starter, half rate of fertilizer, no herbicide. Then complain when they are cutting 30 bushel wheat that is full of weeds. They blame it on wheat being a poor crop that you can't make money on. When in reality, they are just getting what they put into it. They put in half the inputs, and cut half a crop.

Good luck! I'm not a huge fan of wheat behind beans. It is always our poorest wheat. I like wheat behind corn much better, we just really struggle to consistently raise corn here.
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