Input Study: Intensive Wheat Management
Term: 3 years, beginning in 2017
Status: Complete (CLICK HERE to read the performance story)
Funding Amount: $185,472
Lead Researcher(s): Jessica Slowski and Stewart Brandt (Northeast Agriculture Research Foundation)
Funding Partners: Saskatchewan Ministry of Agriculture - Agriculture Development Fund (ADF)
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.