Does Increased Seeding Rate Benefit Winter Wheat When Sowing Is Delayed?

By Stacy Kish

Winter wheat is an important forage and grain crop, commonly planted in the Great Plains of the United States. This crop has a unique life cycle. Planting occurs in early fall, allowing early growth followed by a period of dormancy during the winter months. Growth resumes in the following spring. 

Sowing date plays a critical role in how the crop is established and the ultimate yield. Sowing may be delayed due to adverse environmental conditions, such as drought. It may also be delayed for weed management or to allow for double cropping systems. When sowing date is delayed, growers are encouraged to increase the seeding rate to ensure enough plants attain the growth needed to produce a viable crop in the spring. 

“A lot of my research is based on what I learn from the needs of our farmers,” says Amanda de Oliveira Silva, associate professor and extension specialist for small grains at Oklahoma State University (OSU). “Based on older studies using older varieties of wheat, a very common recommendation is that when we delay planting, you should increase the seeding rate.”

Researchers at OSU sought to understand the actual benefit of increased seeding rate. They scoured published articles from around the world, and their findings suggest the traditional advice may not benefit most growers. The results are available in a recent article published in Crop Science, for which de Oliveira Silva served as senior author.