Drill Condition and Wheat Emergence in Oklahoma: A Survey

Introduction Stand establishment is the first step in producing a good wheat crop, and most producers intend to obtain a uniform stand of wheat. However, intentions are not always the same as reality when it comes to wheat establishment. A study conducted in the early 1990s by the OSU Small Grains Extension Program compared producer perception of wheat seeding accuracy with actual field measurements. Researchers found that producers expected an average of 77 percent planted seeds to result in established wheat plants, but in reality only 57 percent of viable wheat seed actually emerged. Poor emergence was partially explained by the fact that a mere 21 percent of producers were planting at their target seeding depth and 90 percent of fields surveyed had greater than 0.25-inch variation in seeding depth. Several improvements in drill design and seed quality have occurred during the past 20 years, so we designed a similar study to determine if these advances have resulted in actual improvements in stand establishment. During the 2009 and 2010 wheat planting seasons, producers who were in the process of sowing were stopped and asked to participate in our survey. Upon their consent, we made visual observations of overall drill condition, soil seeding condition and surface residue. We surveyed a total of 30 producers (one field per producer) across western Oklahoma.