How can wheat producers create high yield potential on their farms? Phil Needham, Needham Ag Technologies LLC, gave his prescription for 160-bushel wheat at the 2009 Profit Maximizer Wheat Summit sponsored by Bayer CropScience, High Plains Journal and KFRM.

“Something that I cannot overstate is the importance of standards of uniformity,” Needham said. “Whenever I walk out into a field in Europe, generally I see very high consistencies with regard to the number of good heads per yard of row and per square yard. In Europe, they try to generate consistent standards.”

In Europe, Needham said good seeding equipment and a good sprayer are essential for high-yield production. Most of the seeding equipment in Europe has narrow rows; 3.75 to 4.50 inches would be the standard. It does not matter if it is pull-behind or self-propelled, a good sprayer is needed for timely applications.

Needham said there are four components for yield in wheat: number of heads per square yard, number of spikelets per head, number of grains per spikelet, and weight of each grain or test weight. Understanding these and how they relate to wheat production in the High Plains is the key to creating high yield potential.

The ideal number of good heads per square yard at harvest is 600. Needham said if a producer gets significantly over this number, yields will begin to drop. If the head count is less than 450, there are not enough heads to create maximum yield. To achieve this ideal number of heads at harvest, the proper number of seeds need to be sown at the proper depth.

Needham spoon-feeds nitrogen to the crop to control tillering and the head count.

His prescription for 160-bushel wheat in the United Kingdom begins with planting 250 to 350 fungicide-treated seeds per square yard on 4-inch rows. In the fall, he does not put on any nitrogen. The following spring, he makes three applications of nitrogen beginning with 30 to 60 pounds of nitrogen depending on the tiller count, followed by 80 to 120 pounds of nitrogen depending on yield goals, and finishes up with 10 to 20 pounds of liquid urea at the soft dough stage to boost protein in case there are protein premiums.

“Match nitrogen rate to the field and conditions early versus late planted,” Needham said. “Time nitrogen applications based on the number of plants per square yard, plant health, and the number of tillers.”

Crop protection begins in November with foliar insecticide and generally a herbicide. Needham said if herbicide application is delayed until February or March, there could be a lot of yield loss. “Spray weeds in the fall,” Needham said.

In March at growth stage 5, he makes a second insecticide application along with the first fungicide treatment. Micronutrients can be applied at this time according to soil test or tissue samples. Needham suggested taking soil samples on every field every year. In April, Needham makes a second fungicide application. At Feekes growth stage 10.3 to 10.51, he makes a third fungicide application.

“We select short wheat varieties with standability that we can pour the nitrogen to without lodging,” Needham said. Select good, high-yielding varieties, paying attention to seed size. Needham said bigger seeds have higher yield potential.

“This is the template that I brought to this country 20 years ago,” Needham said.

Needham said producers all have a limited amount of money and, rather than spread it over the whole wheat crop, they need to understand the weakest links in the chain and spend money there for the highest yields.