Effects of Tillage On Soft Red Winter Wheat Yield Components.

Many recent studies on soft red winter wheat have dealt with the introduction of intensive no-till systems over the traditional conventional tillage practices and its impact on wheat grain yield.  It has been seen that using a no-till production system may result in decreased amounts of tillering, reducing the number of kernels per spike, and potentially reducing yield.  It is thought that early season tiller deficits experienced by no-till production systems may be offset by the use of improved management practices.   The purpose of this study was to determine the effects tillage type, in combination with irrigation, seeding rate, and nitrogen management, on yield formation.  A field study in Eastern Virginia was conducted during two years utilizing a split-split block design with four replications.  Plots were grown under conventional or no-till tillage systems, exposed to two water regimes (irrigated or non-irrigated), two nitrogen application programs (Standard and Advanced Management), and three seeding rates (379, 482, and 551 seeds m²) of Merl (VA03W-412) soft red winter wheat.