Improvement Of Winter Wheat Survival Using Phosphorus Seed Coating and Seed Priming Treatments.

Hard red winter wheat (Triticumaestivum L.) production has historically been low relative to hard red spring wheat (Triticumaestivum L.) production in North Dakota, due to cold winter temperatures that can cause winter injury and stand loss. Hard red winter wheat (HRWW) is typically planted in North Dakotaduring the middle of September intoresidue of the previous crop. Residue from the previous crop that is erect will collect and hold snow through winter months, which insulates and protects the crown of the wheat plant from being killed by sub-freezing temperatures. Due to the variety of pulse crops and beans grown in North Dakota, planting into erect plant residue is not always possible.The objective of this experiment is to determine if management practices could improve winter survival, yield and quality characteristics of winter wheat which are planted into conditions of erect crop residue and no crop residue. Experiments were planted in five locations spanning North Dakota where winter wheat production is most prevalent. . Experiments were set up in a randomized complete block design with a split-plot restriction with four replicate. The whole plot consisted of planting date (2 levels) and the sub-plot as a factorial combination of cultivar (2 levels) and fertilizer treatment (10 levels). Across all five locations the early planting date favored fall stand establishment as compared to the late planting date. However spring stand counts showed an increase of stand establishment compared to the fall data. This was due in part to the number of kernels that were not completely germinated at the time fall stand counts were taken. Winter survival varied among locations, though phosphorus treatments had a positive effect on plant establishment and winter survival. However each location was affected differently. During spring evaluations one location had worse stand establishment in the early planting date than late planting date, which was a result of planting into drought conditions where the kernels were subject to disease for three weeks before there was sufficient moisture for kernels to germinate. The other four sites seemed to show varying degrees of survival which would be expected due to the varying winter temperatures. Overall phosphorus treatments seemed to improve winter survivability and quality of winter wheat grain.