Wheat damage not likely from recent freezing temperatures

(April 15, 2008 – Louisville, KY) Unlike the April freeze that devastated Kentucky’s 2007 wheat crop, a University of Kentucky grain crops expert says the recent drop in temperature is not likely to have a large effect on this year’s wheat. This news will give most grain farmers a sigh of relief, but the effects may not be fully known for at least a week.

“It did not get quite cold enough, and most of the wheat was not far enough along to warrant any major concern,” says Chad Lee, University of Kentucky grain crops extension specialist. “From a preliminary review of temperatures around the state and an idea of where the wheat is in the developmental stage, I don’t anticipate severe damage. But we really won’t know until there is about seven days of good growing weather.”

Lee said temperatures around the state were reported in the 30’s early this morning, but again, he expects damage to be minimal.

In April of 2007, temperatures remained in the 20’s for several days which followed an exceptionally warm March. This weather scenario created loss of about 75 percent of Kentucky’s wheat crop. Lee said the warmer weather accelerated the wheat’s growth making it more vulnerable to the prolonged freezing temperatures.

Kentucky Small Grain Growers Association (KySGGA) executive director Todd Barlow says that the state’s wheat producers cannot afford another loss of last year’s magnitude.

“The association will do whatever is in our means to help experts monitor and report the situation to our growers,” said Barlow.

Information published in the University of Kentucky extension publication, A Comprehensive Guide to Wheat Management in Kentucky (ID-125), states that the temperature must drop to 24 degrees or below for two hours to cause damage to wheat in the jointing stage, and 28 degrees will be damaging to wheat in the boot stage.

Lee believes that most of the wheat is somewhere between jointing and the boot stage. Temperatures were slightly above the critical temperatures in most areas. We have a couple more nights of forecasted cold temperatures so we need to monitor those temperatures and scout fields within about the next seven to ten days.

Producers wanting to find out more on the wheat freeze situation should visit KySGGA online at www.kysmallgrains.org or call their county’s Cooperative Extension Office.

More freeze damage resources

Written by Jennifer Elwell, KySGGA Director of Communications – 502/921-2625 or Jennifer@kysmallgrains.org

Source: Dr. Chad Lee, University of Kentucky Extension Grain Crops Specialist – 859/257-3203 or cdlee2@uky.edu