The latest drought monitor has most of the western half of Ellis County listed as extreme drought the rest of the county is severe with the exception of the northeast corner as moderate drought. Most of Barton County is listed as moderate drought with the exception of the very northwest corner as severe.
With wheat planting approaching growers are probably weighing out more than one option. They can choose to “dust in” the wheat at the normal seeding depth and normal planting date, and hope for rain. Some farmers may consider planting it shallower than normal, but this could increase the potential for winterkill or freeze damage. Planting the wheat crop at the normal depth and hoping for rain is probably the best option where soils are very dry. The seed will remain viable in the soil until it gets enough moisture.
The long-term outlook by NOAA for a good bit of the western half of Kansas and all of the southern half to one-third of counties across the state, is that the drought is expected to persist through the end of November.
There are three basic options for planting winter wheat into dry soils:
1. Plant normally and hope for rain but due to the current moderate to extreme drought conditions. K-State Wheat specialist Romulo Lollato would advise growers to treat their fields as if they were planting later than the optimum time, as the emergence date will likely be delayed. Rather than cutting back on seeding rates and fertilizer to save money on a lost cause, producers should increase seeding rates, consider using a fungicide seed treatment, and consider using a starter phosphorus fertilizer to improve early season development. However, producers should be cautious with in-furrow nitrogen or potassium fertilizers as these are salts and can make it more difficult for the seed/seedling to absorb water needed for germination. The idea is to make sure the wheat gets off to a good start and will have enough heads to have good yield potential, assuming it will eventually rain and the crop will emerge late. Wheat that emerges in October may still hold full yield potential, but wheat that emerges in November almost always has fewer fall tillers and therefore can have decreased yield potential. By planting normally and hoping for rain. Two unwanted results could occur: crusting after a hard rain and soil erosion due to strong wind. Crusting and soil erosion are less likely in no-till situations than in conventionally tilled fields.
2. Wait for rain, then plant. If you choose to do this and plant later then the recommendations from above to increase seeding rates, consider using a fungicide seed treatment, and using a starter phosphorus fertilizer are advisable.
3. Seed deeper to reach soil moisture. This will require seedlings to grow through more soil to emerge and absorb sunlight. Therefore, seeding a variety with a long coleoptile (first leaf sheath) is preferable. Since there may be plant loss, increasing the seeding rate should be considered. It is recommended to plant winter wheat no deeper than 3 inches.
Crop insurance considerations and deadlines will play a role in these decisions. Another consideration is to delay the bulk of nitrogen application until topdress time in the spring, as wheat does not require much nitrogen in the fall. This would defer expenses until an acceptable wheat stand is assured.
Stacy Campbell is an Agriculture and Natural Resources agent for Cottonwood Extension District. Email him at scampbel@ksu.edu or call the Hays office, 785-628-9430.
