Wheat Management Calendar
| July | August | September | September | |||
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| Germination-Emergence | ||||||
| Crop management (Amanda Silva) |
Variety selection Use the OSU variety trial results and field history to select varieties adapted to your region and production system. It is recommended to plant varieties with different maturity ranges and resistant to the most prevalent diseases in your area. |
Optimum time for planting dual-purpose system Planting around mid-September reduce risks from Hessian fly infestations and allow time for good forage growth |
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| Prepare seed bed Buy good-quality seeds |
Select varieties without high temperature germination sensitivity Planting around mid-September reduce risks from Hessian fly infestations and allow time for good forage growth |
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| Control volunteer wheat Volunteer wheat must be completely dead for two weeks before planting a new wheat crop. Volunteer wheat can be killed with herbicides or tillage Volunteer wheat work as a "green bridge" for mites that can transmitt viruses diseases (WSMV, HPV, TrMV) and aphids (BYDV). Increase risk from Hessia Fly instations.
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| Nutrient management (Brian Arnall & Hailing Zhang) |
soil sampling |
Apply N, P and K for dual-purpose system | ||||
| Apply lime if soil test recommends Apply lime in acid soils early in the season, since soil acidity is a wide spread yield limiting factor in the state. Wheat varieties differ in their ability to grow under low soil pH. Optimum soil pH range for wheat is between 5.5 and 7.0 |
Add N-rich strips | |||||
| Insects (Tom Royer) |
Scout for fall armyworm The suggested treatment threshold is 2-3 larvae per linear foot of row in wheat with active feeding |
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| Diseases (Bob Hunger) |
If early planting, consider seed treatment | |||||
| Weeds (Misha Manuchehri) |
Preplant burndown herbicides or tillage prior to planting | Apply PRE or delayed PRE herbicides | ||||
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| October | October | November | December | ||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Germination-Emergence | Tillering | Tillering/Dormancy | |||
| Crop management (Amanda Silva) |
Optimum time for planting grain-only system | Assess crown root development before grazing | Environment and genetics influence tillering capacity | ||
| Select varieties without high temperature germination sensitivity Planting around mid-September reduce risks from Hessian fly infestations and allow time for good forage growth |
3 leaves developed before tillering start and crown roots developing | Turn out cattle | Assess plant stands Plants may shown some cold injury, but should grow out of it |
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| Perform stand count | Test wheat forage for nutritive quality if grazed | ||||
| Nutrient management (Brian Arnall & Hailing Zhang) |
Apply N, P and K grain-only system | Use a GreenSeeker to assess crop N status | |||
| Add N-rich strips | |||||
| Insects (Tom Royer) |
Scout for fall armyworm The suggested treatment threshold is 2-3 larvae per linear foot of row in wheat with active feeding |
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Scout for greenbug | ||||
| Diseases (Bob Hunger) |
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| Weeds (Misha Manuchehri) |
Apply PRE or delayed PRE herbicides | Apply PRE/POST herbicides for fall/winter emerging weeds | |||
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| Management |
January | February | March | March | |
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| Dormancy | Green-up | Jointing | Flag leaf emergence | ||
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Crop management (Amanda Silva) |
Varieties require from 2 to 6 weeks of vernalization (with T<50F) | Start leaf elongation | Plant erect and first node | |
| Assess First Hollow Stem (FHS) Growth stage which occurs just prior to jointing. Time to remove cattle from the field if producer is in a dual purpose system |
Assess First Hollow Stem | Assess spring-freeze injury The later it occurs during head and grain development the more it affects grain yield  (temperature <24F can harm the developing head) |
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| Remove cattle before FHS if in DP system |
Remove cattle before FHS if in DP system | ||||
| Count tillers per plant and estimate heads per sq. ft. |  |
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| Test wheat forage for nutritive quality if grazed |
Test wheat forage for nutritive quality if grazed | Test wheat forage for nutritive quality if grazed | |||
| Nutrient management (Brian Arnall & Hailin Zhang) |
top-dress N application I |
top-dress N application II | |||
| Use a GreenSeeker to assess crop N status | Use a GreenSeeker to assess crop N status | Use a GreenSeeker to assess crop N status Aphid numbers average 10-20 per tiller, figure on a 5% loss, if 20-40 per tiller, figure a 7% loss, and if aphids are more than 40 per tiller, figure a 9% yield loss. |
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| Add N-rich strips | |||||
| Insects (Tom Royer) |
Scout for army cutworm Management of foliar diseases is critical to maintaining yield potential and producing quality grain |
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| Scout for aphids; | |||||
| Diseases (Bob Hunger) |
Apply fungicide for foliar disease management; | ||||
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| Weeds (Misha Manuchehri) |
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Apply PRE/POST herbicides for winter/spring emerging weeds | |||
| Be cautious of products that cannot be applied past jointing or flag leaf emergence. | |||||
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| Management |
April | April | May | June | |
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| Boot | Heading | Grain filling | Physiological maturity | ||
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Crop management (Amanda Silva) |
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| Assess spring-freeze injury The later it occurs during head and grain development the more it affects grain yield  |
Attend to field days! Evaluate varieties for next season |
Harvest | |||
| Evaluate varieties for next season | |||||
| Nutrient management (Brian Arnall & Hailin Zhang) |
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| Head scab (Fusarium head blight) reduces yield and causes significant problems by resulting in grain with high levels of mycotoxins | |||||
| Insects (Tom Royer) |
Scout for armyworm | ||||
| Scout for aphids; | |||||
| Diseases (Bob Hunger) |
Apply fungicide for foliar disease management; | ||||
| Apply fungicide to manage head scab | |||||
| Weeds (Misha Manuchehri) |
Scout fields for identification of winter annual grass weeds that are headed out. | ||||
| Be cautious of products that cannot be applied past jointing or flag leaf emergence. | Harvest aid herbicides may be considered. | ||||
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| ID | Title | URL |
|---|---|---|
| DASNR App Listing | Wheat Variety Selection Tool app | http://www.dasnr.okstate.edu/apps |
| CR-2143 | 2018-2019 Small Grains Variety Performance Tests; | https://extension.okstate.edu/fact-sheets/2018-2019-small-grains-variety-performance-tests.html |
| PSS-2142 | Wheat Variety Comparison; | https://extension.okstate.edu/fact-sheets/wheat-variety-comparison.html |
| PSS-2256 | Factors Affecting Wheat Germination and Emergence in Hot Soils; | https://extension.okstate.edu/fact-sheets/factors-affecting-wheat-germination-and-emergence-in-hot-soils.html |
| PSS-2147 | First Hollow Stem: A Critical Wheat Growth Stage for Dual-purpose Producers; | https://extension.okstate.edu/fact-sheets/first-hollow-stem-a-critical-wheat-growth-stage-for-dual-purpose-producers.html |
| PSS-2157 | Impact of Grazing on Wheat Grain Yield | https://extension.okstate.edu/fact-sheets/impact-of-grazing-on-wheat-grain-yield.html |
| Factsheet ID | Title | URL |
|---|---|---|
| CR-2277 | Applying Nitrogen-Rich Strips | https://extension.okstate.edu/fact-sheets/applying-nitrogen-rich-strips.html |
| PSS-2278 | Using the GreenSeeker Handheld Sensor and Sensor-Based Nitrogen Rate Calculator | https://extension.okstate.edu/fact-sheets/using-the-greenseeker-handheld-sensor-and-sensor-based-nitrogen-rate-calculator.html |
| PSS-2207 | How to Get a Good Soil Sample | https://extension.okstate.edu/fact-sheets/how-to-get-a-good-soil-sample.html |
| PSS-2225 | OSU Soil Test Interpretations | https://extension.okstate.edu/fact-sheets/osu-soil-test-interpretations.html |
Developed by the Oklahoma State University Extension Team
Amanda de Oliveira Silva
Small Grains Extension Specialist
Brian Arnall
Precision Nutrient Management Specialist
Hailin Zhang
Nutrient Management Specialist
Tom Royer
Extension Entomologist
Bob Hunger
Extension Wheat Pathologist
Misha Manuchehri
Small Grains Extension Weed Specialist