Determining Optimum Target Plant Stands for Spring Cereal Crops in Manitoba
Anastasia Kubinec – Manager, Crop Industry Development, Manitoba Agriculture
Anne Kirk – Crop Industry Development, Manitoba Agriculture
To determine optimum plant populations for spring wheat, oat, and barley, and will determine if optimum plant population differs for individual cultivars.
Mortality, tillering, and yield are highly influenced by environment; more data is needed to make recommendations about optimal plant stand.
Two cultivars of spring wheat (AAC Brandon and Prosper), oat (CS Camden and Summit), and barley (AAC Synergy and CDC Austenson) were grown at the crop diversification centres in Arborg, Carberry, Melita and Roblin, at five seeding rates. Target plant stands were 15, 21, 27, 33, and 39 plants/ft2. Data collected includes plant stand, mortality, heads/plant, and yield. Data from the Roblin location is not included in the results since a range of plant stands was not achieved. A late season hail storm damaged oat and wheat plots in Arborg, yield data from those trials is not included in the results. This project will take place over two growing seasons, data presented is preliminary and from 2017 only.