Early high-moisture wheat harvest improves double-crop system: I. Wheat yield and quality

Document Type

Article

Publication Date

9-1-2020

Abstract

Double cropping winter wheat (Triticum aestivum L.) and soybean [Glycine max (L.) Merr.] increases total food production without additional land. However, yield and/or quality of both crops often suffer if wheat harvest is delayed beyond maturity. We evaluated the impact of high-moisture wheat harvest on wheat yield and quality and soybean planting time across eighteen site-years in five Mid-Atlantic states during 2015 to 2017. Wheat was harvested three to five times beginning at 150 to 200 g kg−1 moisture at 4 to 14 d intervals. High-moisture wheat harvest facilitated 4 to 21 d earlier soybean planting. Grain moisture generally decreased with harvest date, but temperature and rainfall varied moisture content. Wheat test weight declined linearly 2.91 to 4.87 kg m−3 d−1 delay in harvest. Wheat relative yield was not affected by delayed harvest in Pennsylvania but declined linearly 2.6% per day delay in harvest after 4 July in Maryland, 0.55% after 30 June in Delaware, 3.1% after 19 June in Virginia, and 0.42% after 4 June in North Carolina. Test weight was positively associated with relative yield and explained 37 to 82% of relative yield variability. Critical days for desirable test weight were similar to the critical harvesting days for maximum yield, indicating that test weight is an excellent predictor of optimum harvesting day. Delayed harvest decreased grain falling number but increased softness equivalent. Overall, high-moisture wheat harvest improved wheat yield and quality by reducing test weight loss and would allow earlier soybean planting to maximize growth and yield.

Publication Source (Journal or Book title)

Crop Science

First Page

2633

Last Page

2649

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