The increasing cost of nitrogen fertilizer has sparked an interest in winter wheat producers in the Southern Great Plains. Experiments conducted in 2004 at Stillwater, OK evaluated the response fall forage production of four winter wheat cultivars (Jagger, Ok102, Jagalene, 2174) to six levels of pre-plant nitrogen fertilizer (0, 30, 60, 90, 120, 150 kg ha –1) and cumulative light interception and biomass produced. Hard red winter wheat forage production displayed an asymptotic response to increased pre-plant nitrogen fertilizer , and 90% of asymptotic fall forage production 2,545 kg ha -1 was achieved by applying 86 kg ha –1 nitrogen fertilizer. This agrees with current extension recommendations of 0.03 kg ha-1 nitrogen per 1,100 kg ha-1 forage produced. There were no differences in rate of wheat canopy closure among fertilizer treatments. However, differences in late-season radiation use efficiency were observed with higher nitrogen rates resulting in consistent wheat radiation use efficiency throughout the entire season and lower nitrogen rates producing decreased wheat radiation use efficiency later in the season. Overall this research provides insight into methods of canopy management and provides guidelines for fall nitrogen management in a duel-purpose wheat production system.