Grainnet

Washington, DC--According to the U.S. Wheat Associates latest Wheat Letter, severe damage to hard red winter wheat (HRW) from the early April freeze does not appear to be widespread.

Farther east and south, into soft red winter wheat (SRW) growing regions through northern Alabama, many producers report a total loss of their wheat crops.

"We are pleasantly surprised," said Aaron Harries, marketing director with Kansas Wheat, the Kansas wheat grower organization.

"There is some freeze damage, but I'm actually shocked at how little damage we're seeing."

The new 40-bushel per acre yield estimate is only slightly less than the average from similar areas last year and is better than average in five of the last six years.

Under the right conditions, even severly stressed wheat will produce additional tillers if the plants survive, and this appears to be happening in parts of the freeze zone.

The most serious damage appears to be centered around McPherson, KS.

HRW crop conditions improve in a radius outside the zone where the crop was either less susceptible to yield loss or where the freeze was not as hard.

Though concerns go out to producers who have suffered severe losses, the HRW crop still has strong potential.

For Missouri through southern Ohio, SRW fared worse.

Chris Boley, president of WheatTech, a specialized Kentucky-based crop consulting and research organization, told local reporters that in the mid-Mississippi Valley region, where intensive SRW management is common, a significant amount of wheat "is dead."

The options for many producers now appear to be: wait to see if plants produce any wheat, plow it under and plant another crop, or cut it for hay, straw, or mulch.

The U.S. Department of Agriculture will update its wheat production forecast May 11.

See Related Websites/Articles:

• U.S. Wheat Associates

more GRAIN NEWS...