Roughly 130 wheat and sorghum growers listened to insights and recommendations on seed technology, foliar fungicide applications, grain marketing and more as part of the recent Sorghum U/Wheat U.

The free, one-day event in Wichita on August 13 was sponsored by High Plains Journal, Kansas Grain Sorghum Commission, Kansas Wheat, United Sorghum Checkoff Program, DoubleTeam Sorghum Cropping Solution, Kauffman Seed, Heartland Soil Services, Conklin AgroVantage and American AgCredit.

Grain Marketing Guidance

Keynote speaker Matt Hines, a licensed commodity broker and risk management consultant with Lowen & Associates, provided a market outlook and outlined grain marketing strategies for the wheat and sorghum markets.

“Wherever I go, I’m trying to teach our producers to be better merchandisers,” Hines said. “How can I be more like the elevator? The processor? How can I make better decisions and hopefully take some of that stress out.”

Miss the event and looking for insights? Hines joined Aaron Harries, Kansas Wheat vice president of research and operations, on the “Wheat’s on Your Mind” podcast to delve into the intricate world of grain marketing, risk management and the global dynamics affecting wheat producers. Hines emphasized the importance of understanding market factors and developing effective marketing strategies to ensure profitability in an ever-changing landscape.

“Successful marketing really is just about picking the best tool at that time,” he said. “Because at the end, you’ve got to make a profit.”

Producer Panel Insights

A producer panel featured sorghum and wheat producers, including Kansas Association of Wheat Growers’ Chris Tanner from Norton and Keeff Felty, a producer from Altus, Oklahoma, who represented the National Association of Wheat Growers.

“We talked about what we’re doing as a wheat organization and the policy goals we’re working to accomplish for wheat and sorghum farmers in this area,” Tanner told farm broadcaster Ken Rahjes after the event. “Wheat covers a broad geography of the Heartland and we’re working for policies that will help us all be more productive.”

Specifically, Tanner and the panel discussed programs like cover crops and carbon programs. He highlighted the difficulties of raising cover crops in the arid High Plains, which is why NAWG is working to have wheat recognized in national discussions for its soil health benefits, including maximizing continuous living roots, minimizing disturbance, maintaining soil cover and maximizing biodiversity.

“Wheat is the cover crop out here, so we want to make sure our farmers are not put at a disadvantage moving forward,” Tanner said. “That’s where sorghum and wheat go together – those are two crops that are raised in the more arid climates where we’re not able to raise cover crops.”

Wheat Disease Update and Management

Kelsey Andersen Onofre, assistant professor of plant pathology in K-State’s College of Agriculture, shared information about Wheat Streak Mosaic Virus (WSMV). She reminded attendees that WSMV and other viruses like Triticum mosaic virus (TriMV) cannot be controlled by fungicides and are instead spread by the wheat curl mite. With the highest populations during harvest, these critters move from wheat fields to volunteer wheat and other crops and grasses that serve as hosts. She noted more WSMV outbreaks are happening in central and even northeast Kansas and TriMV is increasing in central Kansas.

Onofre also reported there was a “rust trifecta” this year with stripe rust showing up early. She reminded producers that these diseases can cause substantial yield loss of up to 30 to 40 percent. However, she noted there is some variety resistance available as well as effective fungicides.

One resource she highlighted is new K-State guidance on foliar fungicides, which focuses on efficacy ratings as well as outlining the need to pay attention to application timing, disease scouting reports and varietal vulnerabilities.

“Research conducted by Kansas State University indicates a single fungicide application made to susceptible wheat varieties when the risk of disease is high will often result in a 4% to 13% yield increase with an average increase of approximately 10% relative to wheat that remained untreated,” the publication noted. “A lower yield response is likely if the disease remains at low levels or is absent. The following guidelines will help maximize the potential for effective disease management and a positive yield response.”

She also promoted the release of the 2024 Kansas Wheat Variety Guide, which provides a rundown of how well varieties are adapted for the different areas of Kansas, disease resistance and herbicide resistance as well as other performance strengths and weaknesses.

“Variety selection is one of the most important decisions a wheat grower makes,” the publication noted. “This choice profoundly influences the potential wheat crop’s productivity. Agronomic characteristics, such as height, acid soil tolerance, and maturity, determine how well a variety is adapted for a region or desired cropping system. Selecting a good variety also influences how well the crop tolerates drought or resists diseases and insects.”

Even more insights coming

Rounding out the day packed full of information, Romulo Lollato, K-State associate professor of wheat and forage production, shared results from the “Beyond the Grain” study. The study showed wheat has a substantial impact beyond the value of the grain itself, including the value of residue in conserving soil moisture and temperature, weed control and yield impact on the subsequent crop. Dalton Henry, vice president of trade policy with U.S. Wheat Associates, also discussed changes in wheat seed technology and policy implications for global trade. Look for more insights from these presentations in future editions of Wheat Scoop.

Keep up with all the latest research insights, industry news and podcast episodes at kswheat.com.