Winter wheat sown in the spring

[The Ruminant]

What happens to winter wheat that is drilled in the spring? Presumably it grows, but does it stay in a vegetative stage all year, without a vernalisation period, or does it run to seed but yield very poorly? I appreciate there are cut-off dates etc so I'm not intending to try it with a view to taking a profitable crop off it - but I do have a plan in my head, depending on how it's likely to behave.

 

[Shutesy]

How important is vernalisation??

As the title says is this as important as we are told by the scientists? if so how does Australia and other hot climate countries grow W Wheat.?? or are ALL their varieties only Spring Wheat. If so we all ought to grow a small area of Spring Wheat to cover our backs for HSS as this situation may...

thefarmingforum.co.uk

 

[tr250]

I’m going to try when it gets dry we will forage it if it doesn’t come into ear

 

[CornishTone]

How important is vernalisation??

As the title says is this as important as we are told by the scientists? if so how does Australia and other hot climate countries grow W Wheat.?? or are ALL their varieties only Spring Wheat. If so we all ought to grow a small area of Spring Wheat to cover our backs for HSS as this situation may...

thefarmingforum.co.uk

My experience is of South Australia which is entirely winter rainfall dominant. They use varieties that have a MUCH lower vernalisation requirement to go reproductive and flower. They are almost completely governed by days from germination to flowering. There are "long season" and "short season" varieties, based on number of days till flowering, but essentially they pick a variety that can be planted on the first rains (generally end of April in SA) and will finish grain fill before it gets too dry, but will also avoid frost at flowering. It's quite a short growing season by our WW standards and so a bit of a juggling act! @Farmer Roy may know more about wheat varieties in more tropical/summer rainfall dominant regions.

As far as I'm aware, there's no such thing as a true "Spring Wheat" as all our varieties still have a vernalisation requirement of some sort. Without it they will mostly remain vegetative and grain yield will be low. I would never plant even spring wheat past end of Feb personally.

 

[Barry]

You may get some ears or none at all depending on the variety and how much vernalisation it gets and needs for ear formation.

 

[Gong Farmer]

Presumably the OP was thinking about what happens long term? I assume if a crop remains vegetative, it will stay that way until the following winter, then vernalise and produce grain the following summer? So a biennial crop?

 

[The Ruminant]

Presumably the OP was thinking about what happens long term? I assume if a crop remains vegetative, it will stay that way until the following winter, then vernalise and produce grain the following summer? So a biennial crop?

And that's the million dollar question: will it stay vegetative?

 

[CornishTone]

And that's the million dollar question: will it stay vegetative?

I think it will depend a bit on the genetics of the variety. Vernalisation isn't necessarily the only factor to trigger flowering. There will be a photo response element to the process also, so it may not be a question of "if" flowering will occur in that year, but "when". As in the Australian example, their varieties are much more weighted towards photo response to trigger flowering than vernalisation... as I understand it!

As ever, the answer is probably "It depends".

 

[Farmer Roy]

And that's the million dollar question: will it stay vegetative?

not in our environment . . .

 

[Bury the Trash]

And that's the million dollar question: will it stay vegetative?

No. If It's an annual it will die .

And Next time perhaps just ask Elvis


Not sure if hes on Steve Wright in the afternoon anymore tho .....

 

[tr250]

No. If It's an annual it will die .

And Next time perhaps just ask Elvis


Not sure if hes on Steve Wright in the afternoon anymore tho .....

Not if it hasn’t seeded surely

 

[Bury the Trash]

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[TREVD]

So l take it no body recommends drilling ww (SKYFALL) in late March ??
Ihave about lost my nerve !

 

[Baling Hay]

So l take it no body recommends drilling ww (SKYFALL) in late March ??
Ihave about lost my nerve !

Skyfall is fine until April even, it doesn't have a strong vernalisation requirement.

 

[Spencer]

So l take it no body recommends drilling ww (SKYFALL) in late March ??
Ihave about lost my nerve !

He who dares Rodney.., he who dares

 

[Neddy flanders]

Skyfall is fine until April even, it doesn't have a strong vernalisation requirement.

So l take it no body recommends drilling ww (SKYFALL) in late March ??
Ihave about lost my nerve !

 

[yellow belly]

Winter wheat needs vernalisation
spring wheat does not
as understand it most Australian wheat is spring varieties
the first settlers found out to their cost

 

[hendrebc]

And that's the million dollar question: will it stay vegetative?

I don't know about winter wheat but apparently oats and triticale will. Can't remember where I've read that though. Something to do with them behaving more like a grass because they haven't been messed with by plant breeders as much as wheat has.

 

[deleted user 837354]

Err, I'm not sure wheat sown that hasn't fulfilled its vernalisation requirement will do anything- it might just sit there and not even grow upwards...

 

[TREVD]

So has anyone actually drilled SKYFALL IN April and had a reasonable crop ??