Increasing Winter Wheat Grain Yield by Replicating the Management Adopted in High-Yielding Commercial Fields in Kansas during 2021–2022

Large winter wheat (Triticum aestivum) yield gaps between actual yields from farmers and potential in the U.S. Great Plains indicate need to improve recommendations of best management strategies profitably bridge these gaps. Many studies have compared individual factors pre-determined by researcher, but we are not aware comparing combination practices that producers currently using, which would be more relevant for real-world scenarios. Our objective was determine gains resulting intensification using adopted commercial fields. Four intensities (i.e., low, average, high, top) were derived a survey 656 fields, replicated trials conducted six western Kansas locations (cultivated after sorghum-fallow period) central (directly no-tilled following soybean) during 2021–2022 growing season. Management tested factorially on two adapted varieties differed sites. Grain ranged 37.1 bu/a low intensity 47.3 top intensity, with increases 14%, 6%, 5% average high intensities, respectively. The variety WB4269 outyielded Zenda (44.6 41.3 bu/a) across environments. In Kansas, there significant effect, where increased (from 45.9 60.1–61.4 bu/a); though WB-Grainfield KS Dallas had similar yields. Using as yielding low- or average-management while further sometimes resulted no increases. Variety selection played an important role increase attained dependent location Kansas.