Agronomic Impacts of Harvest Date on Winter Wheat Production.

In Ohio, early wheat harvest may provide an economic advantage which is needed for a high maintenance crop with a relatively low profit margin. Winter wheat (Triticum aestivum L.)  production takes place over an extended season where it is planted in the fall, overwinters, and matures in early summer. The crop faces many risks such as extended disease pressure, cold weather threats, and harvest challenges such as sprouting, shatter, or plant lodging. Harvesting the wheat earlier may avoid many of these risks as well as extend the growing season for additional double crop or cover crop combinations. The objectives of this research were to investigate the benefits of early harvest wheat in Ohio. Soft red winter wheat was planted in October 2015 at the Western Agricultural Research Station near South Charleston, Ohio. The wheat was harvested at two different dates: Early (29 June 2016) and Late (8 July 2016). The early harvest date had a significantly drier grain moisture, 11.8%, compared to the later harvest date at 14.4%. Abnormally dry conditions caused a rapid dry down of wheat prior to early harvest then a rain event caused increase grain moisture prior to late harvest. The grain test weight significantly decreased over the ten-day harvest difference from 56.7 lbs/bu to 53.4 lbs/bu. At 18% moisture, wheat has reached maximum test weight and grain quality, rewetting after this point can induce sprouting and breakdown of starches, lowering the test weight.  Crop yield trended to decrease over time (p-value = 0.1456) related to the lower test weights and possible seed loss. This data suggests that delayed harvest can result in higher moisture grain, lower test weights, and potentially, lower yields, harvesting earlier at higher moisture can reduce these risks, increasing profit and offsetting any additional drying costs.