Increasing Wheat Yields Through Agronomics and Education.

Wheat yields have increased rapidly in the Mid-West and the Mid-South parts of the nation.  The wheat yields in Kentucky have gone from the 40 bu/ac range in the mid 1980’s to 71 bu/ac in 2006.  The 75% yield increase is due to a number of things.  They include improved genetics and the proper use and understanding of many agronomic inputs and choices.  This includes many simple things such as variety choice, planting date, seeding rate, fertilizer rate and timing, protecting plants with insecticides and fungicides as well as other timely operations.  Scouting and timing of inputs are two important ingredients of the educational phase.  The proper choice of each management decision or input will increase the yield potential by a few bushels per acre.  Most of the potential yield gains for each proper decision is additive, so the total gain with the proper management and inputs can be substantial.  Many farmers have reported yield increases of 50 to 100% with the adoption of an intensive management system.