Determining optimal seeding rates for wheat under high and low moisture conditions was the focus of a study conducted at six Agri-ARM locations.
Agri-ARM is a network of producer-directed applied research and demonstration organizations located across Saskatchewan.
The current seeding rate recommendation for wheat is 20 to 25 plants per square foot. The goal of the study was to evaluate the ideal seeding rate for spring wheat under different environmental conditions.
Six locations participated in the two-year study, which covered 2022 and 2023. There was data for Scott and Swift Current in both years, while Prince Albert, Melfort, Yorkton and Indian Head participated in 2023. A hailstorm eliminated data collected from Swift Current last year.
The locations were placed into two groups—-the low moisture had less than 70 per cent of the long term average and the high moisture which was between 70 per cent and normal. The two years at Scott along with Melfort and Indian Head 2023 were in the low moisture grouping, with Swift Current 2022, Prince Albert 2023 and Yorkton 2023 in the high moisture grouping.
The project was led by Alex Waldner, a research associate with the Western Applied Research Corporation at Scott.
At each location, there were seven different seeding rates (10,15,20,25,30,35 and 40 plants per square foot). Four yield influencing factors were measured—-tiller density, head size, head density and head length. The four were consistent at all locations with tiller density, head size and head length decreasing with higher seed density and head density increasing with seeding rate regardless of environmental conditions.
However, yield response varied depending on location and year. Waldner starts with the seeding recommendation under low moisture conditions.
As for seeding recommendations under higher moisture conditions.
Recapping the final recommendations:
