Input Study: Intensive Wheat Management

Project Description

The aim of this project is to develop an improved knowledge base about wheat management that will enable growers to take full advantage of both the genetic potential of this crop while optimizing other management practices.

Profitability of wheat has declined relative to oilseeds and pulses. However, wheat remains as an important crop in our rotations. This study will examine how yield and quality of wheat responds to varying levels of management across a diversity of wheat varieties. There are numerous classes of wheat, each with a unique end use and market. Despite differences, we typically manage wheat the same regardless of class or variety. The strategy is to examine input responses of varieties with differing genetic characteristics like yield potentials, protein contents and resistance to lodging or disease. Improved understanding of how genetic differences interact with management strategies will allow growers to select the most appropriate management strategies to employ with differing wheat varieties and classes.

By using the full diversity of genetic differences in this crop, this project focus on predicting and understanding, how new varieties would respond to management. The trials will be conducted over 3 years at locations representative of the driest to wettest areas of the province with cool and short to relatively warm, long growing seasons, to ensure that results are applicable to a wide range of soils and climate. For growers, knowing the relative importance of various tools that they can use to manage yield and quality of wheat is crucial, in deciding what combination of practices are most likely to provide the best monetary returns. By developing an enhanced understanding of the roles and possible trade-offs that management practices involve, producers can avail better information to select appropriate varieties, classes and management practices for this crop.

Research Results

Jessica (Pratchler) Slowski, and Stewart Brandt, Northeast Agriculture Research Foundation

Wheat is a staple crop in many Canadian prairie crop rotations. Yet as years pass, net profitability of this crop has declined despite significant breeding improvements in yield. Unfortunately, new or updated agronomic research in wheat has been minimal. However, if management practices are tailored to individual market classes and/or varieties it may be the key to enhancing the profitability of wheat.

This project was designed to incorporate components of intensive wheat management to enhance wheat profitability. The first objective was to identify how wheat market classes and varieties are affected by enhanced management. The second objective was to identify how genetic characteristics of wheat interact with the varying soil and climate conditions across Saskatchewan. Small plot research projects were conducted at Indian Head, Melfort, Scott, Swift Current, and Yorkton, SK from 2017 to 2019.  Six wheat varieties from three market classes were selected based on genetic differences in Fusarium Head Blight resistance, lodging resistance, maturity, yield, and protein content. Each variety was grown under three progressively intensified management levels.

Results indicated that CWRS varieties tended to be more responsive to Intensive management, than CPSR or CSWSW varieties. Enhanced management often led to hastened maturity across all varieties, while varietal selection is important for the prevention of delayed maturity with Conventional and Intensive management. Intensive management resulted in maximum yield for CWRS and CPSR varieties, while CWSWS were less responsive to this management level. Conversely, CWSWS benefited the most from Intensive management for building protein, while CWRS and CPSR varieties were less responsive.

Test weight and seed size differences were largely attributed to genetic differences and any responses to management were minimal. FDK values were largely reflective of genetic differences as well, with Enhanced management providing increased control. In the end, CWRS varieties tended to provide greater net returns than CWSWS and CPSR varieties, while Conventional management provided the best net returns of the three management levels.

Overall, the CWRS varieties tend to be more responsive to changes in management intensity, than the other two market classes. Although intensive management resulted in the largest yields, Enhanced management hastened maturity and reduced FDK more consistently. However, Enhanced management did not always outperform Conventional economically. Therefore, the results of this project indicate that Conventional management of wheat in Saskatchewan continues to provide the better net returns. Although under some circumstances, Enhanced management can be beneficial and profitable.