Wheat Management Resources

Several wheat fields in Kentucky are now at the anthesis stage (Feekes 10.51, “flowering”) or fast approaching it. Anthesis is a critical time, as wheat becomes susceptible to infection by Fusarium graminearum, the primary causal agent of Fusarium head blight

The early morning low temperatures on Apr 22 were quite frosty. In some areas, the low temperatures were in the range that could potentially cause damage to the wheat crop.

Across Kentucky almost all of the wheat crop has jointed (Feekes 6) and much of it has developed at least two nodes (Feekes 7). When temperatures dropped into the teens and low 20’s (°F) overnight March 19 (Table 1), we once again find ourselves asking the question: Will the low temperatures a couple of nights ago damage this year’s wheat crop?

Broken grain and trash/foreign material tend to accumulate in the center of grain bins during filling. Air will not pass through this area very well, so the best management practice is to remove this material from the bin (often referred to as ‘corning’) and either store it separately or feed or sell it quickly to avoid potential problems during storage.

Conventional storage bins and silos will be filled soon, and alternative structures will likely be needed to handle the extra bushels as harvest continues and producers wait for improved prices in early 2024.