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June 2000 |
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Double Cropping after Wheat in a Dry Year? |
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Double Cropping after Wheat Bill Casady
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Common sense dictates that going the extra mile to put in a double crop of soybeans during a year plagued with patterns of moisture deficits is more risky than in an "ordinary" year. Farming is a risky business and double cropping occurs on about half of the approximately one million wheat acres typically planted in Missouri. Nevertheless, think more carefully this year about how you might proceed if double cropping is part of your strategy after wheat. Any good crop requires adequate moisture, energy, and nutrients to be successful. It's especially hard to get everything just right to be successful at double cropping soybeans, especially in a droughty year. In a "normal" year, a successful double crop relies primarily on maximizing the growing season for the second crop. A maximized growing season is typically a combination of good management and luck. A timely wheat harvest alone is not enough. There must be sufficient soil moisture to start the crop and hence, to start the growing season. During most years, double cropping has a reasonable chance for success in Missouri only about as far north as I-70 where wheat is harvested at about the beginning of the last week of June. At this latitude, the first killing frost occurs by October 4 in one out of ten years, leaving a growing season of only about 102 days. This length of season is adequate, but still a squeeze for a successful soybean crop. For all the apparent disadvantages in 2000, the unusually warm spring coupled with drier than normal weather may have also caused a distinct advantage, especially for northern double croppers. The 2000 wheat crop is maturing as much as a week or more ahead of schedule in much of Missouri this year. Our unfortunate problem now is the rain showers coming exactly when we should be harvesting wheat. All things considered, if moisture is available to get things off on the right foot and you are a risk taker, then here are some tips for successful double-cropping.
Residue management is very important under a no-till management system, especially when planting a double crop into fresh residue. Clumps of residue reduce planter performance and limit access to sunlight at emergence and early growth stages. Evenly distributed residue improves seed placement, increases emergence, and evenly shades the soil to improve moisture retention. When preparing the combine for wheat harvest, adjust chaff spreaders to spread residue across the entire width of the swath. One approach to decrease residue problems is to minimize the amount of residue passing through the combine, cutting wheat as high as possible without leaving grain in the field. The unusual growing conditions for the 2000 wheat crop have resulted in shorter straw, which may somewhat ease residue management problems. Modern advances in equipment and weed control products have virtually eliminated burning. Most successful double croppers and no- tillers are reluctant to give up the short-term moisture benefits and the long-term soil quality benefits that crop residues provide. As always, plant to moisture, but don't plant deeper than an inch or maybe an inch and a half depending on experience for your particular soil. If you can't reach moisture near the surface be prepared to hold off on a double crop this year. Source for this article was Bill Casady, Extension Assistant Professor or Agricultural Engineering, 573-882-4370.
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Harvest wheat early and use artificial drying. Wheat harvested before
repeated drying and re-wetting can also result in more harvested bushels
and a higher quality product with higher test weights.