STRAIGHT FROM THE HORSES MOUTH

Duane A. Lienemann,

UNL Extension Educator,

Webster County March 19, 2011 Edition I think perhaps Spring may finally be here. Although I do remember the April Fools snow storm that occurred in the late 80’s. It was a big surprise especially since flurries were forecast. As I recall it was what many called a “calf-killer” blizzard. I also know that living in Nebraska dictates that you expect the unexpected when it comes to weather and I can think of some other things that would apply there too. I am not forecasting a blizzard by any means, although we could use some moisture. I however would rather see that in a more liquid form. Speaking of moisture, our wheat is certainly showing the results of a dry late summer and fall. The wheat is definitely behind normal in growth and I know that there is some concern on whether the bulk of the wheat germinated last fall and if it completed the vernalization process. I have had several questions concerning that very topic, let’s explore that. What is vernalization? The root of the word gives you a clue to its meaning. The Latin word “Vernus” means “of the spring.” Vernalization is a stage in the development of many plants, including believe it or not, bulbs, fruit trees, and nut trees. Some plants experience what is known as “obligate vernalization”, which means that the plant must be exposed to cold temperatures in order to bloom. Others have “quantitative vernalization”, using cold temperatures as a cue, but not relying on them to time blooming schedules. This stage involves exposure to cold temperatures for a set period of time, followed by a period of increased photosensitivity which allows the plant to start producing flowers. Most of us in agriculture however relate it most to hard red winter wheat. Let’s see what Jim Shroyer, KSU agronomist, has to say. Most winter wheat varieties require up to 45 days (1080 hours) accumulated exposure to temperatures of 45 F to 32 F at the growing point in order to vernalize. Vernalization begins when the seed begins the germination process, when water is absorbed by the seed. Without adequate vernalization, winter wheat plants will remain vegetative and will not produce grain. Non-vernalized wheat will exert heads much later than normal and heading is very erratic, if it occurs at all. Vernalization requirements differ by variety. The exact number of vernalization days for most wheat varieties are not known. There are, of course, differences in varieties. Generally, early maturing wheat varieties require less vernalization than later maturing varieties. You can check out a lot of varieties at http://cropwatch.unl.edu/web/wheat/virtual . If a wheat plant has not received adequate chilling to vernalize, then the developing seed head (spikelet) and corresponding stem joints will not be present within the stem. The seed head development and jointing varies by variety and geographic location. Producers whose wheat has not yet emerged may be wondering now about whether their wheat will have enough exposure to cold temperatures to vernalize once it does emerge – and what kind of yield potential to expect. Wheat does not have to emerge as a seedling in order to be vernalized by cold temperatures. As long as the seed has received enough moisture to become physiologically active and begin the germination process, it can undergo vernalization. Winter wheat will vernalize after experiencing 3-6 weeks of soil temperatures below 48 degrees. Some varieties require a little longer period of cold to vernalize; and some require less. Jagger, and I believe Jagalene, has one of the shortest vernalization requirements. In almost all cases, winter wheat planted in the fall will vernalize. The only exception would be if the soil is so dry during the fall and winter months that the seed never becomes physiologically active until later in the spring, and it warms up very quickly in the spring. This would be rare, but could happen. If the later is the case, then you may see a reduction in yield of 40-60% if there is not good moisture or conditions in spring. Either way it probably wouldn’t hurt to go walk through your wheat field and inspect it. Wheat that emerges late typically has fewer total tillers than wheat that emerges in the fall. Late-emerging wheat is also behind in development, and typically flowers and reaches grain fill later in the spring than fall-emerged wheat. If the spring weather is dry, or if it turns hot and dry early, the yield potential of late-emerged wheat could be even less than 40 percent of normal. However, in a cool spring with adequate moisture, late-emerged wheat will have enough time to develop and fill grain, and can yield relatively well. Taking all these factors into consideration, it is likely that most wheat planted in the fall will eventually emerge and head out. My grandfather once told me that wheat is like a cat, it has 9 lives! Land Value and Rental Rates: I know that a lot of you have been waiting for the UNL Land Value and Rental Rates document. It has been released and can be found on the internet by going to http://agecon.unl.edu/cornhuskereconomics and then scrolling down to "Nebraska Agricultural Land Markets Showing Strong Gains" by Dr. Bruce Johnson, and others. Or if you prefer stop in your local UNL Extension Office and we will provide you with a copy. There really is no surprise with this year’s survey, in that as predicted, the land values went up considerably which then relates into higher rental rates. This UNL survey of ag land values shows that Nebraska land values were up 22% from last year and double from 2005. The relatively recent upsurge in commodity prices, combined with other factors including rising farm income levels, have resulted in a dramatic increase over former year. Landowners and tenants alike however need to take a good look at integrity when working out leases. I suggest that you also download the accompanying document called “Cash Leasing With Integrity.” It can also be found at the Cornhusker Economics web site. The preceding information comes from the research and personal observations of the writer which may or may not reflect the views of UNL or UNL Extension. For more further information on these or other topics contact D. A. Lienemann, UNL Extension Educator for Webster County in Red Cloud, (402) 746-3417 or email to: dlienemann2@unl.edu or go to the website at: www.webster.unl.edu/home