Growers get valuable information on production, marketing and more at the Sorghum U/Wheat U event

About 130 wheat and sorghum growers heard information and advice on seed technology, foliar fungicide applications, grain marketing and more as part of the recent Sorghum U/Wheat U.

The free one-day event in Wichita on Aug. 13 was sponsored by High Plains Journal, Kansas Grain Sorghum Commission, Kansas Wheat, United Sorghum Checkoff Program, DoubleTeam Sorghum Cropping Solution, Kauffman Seed, Heartland Soil Services, Conklin AgroVantage and American AgCredit.

Grain marketing guide

Keynote speaker Matt Hines, a licensed commodity broker and risk management consultant at Lowen & Associates, provided market insight and outlined grain trading strategies for the wheat and sorghum markets.

“Everywhere I go, I try to teach our producers to be better marketers,” Hines said. “How can I be more like the elevator? The processor? How can I make better decisions and hopefully eliminate some of that stress.”

Missing the event and looking for information? Hines joined Kansas Wheat vice president of research and operations Aaron Harries on the “Wheat’s on Your Mind” podcast to explore the complicated world of grain marketing, risk management and global dynamics affecting wheat producers. Hines emphasized the importance of understanding market drivers and developing effective marketing strategies to ensure profitability in an ever-changing landscape.

“Successful marketing is really about choosing the best tool at the time,” he said. “Because at the end of the day, you have to make a profit.”

Manufacturer panel information

A producer panel featured sorghum and wheat producers, including Chris Tanner of the Kansas Association of Wheat Growers in Norton and Keeff Felty, a producer from Altus, Okla., who represented the National Wheat Growers Association.

“We talked about what we’re doing as a wheat organization and the policy goals we’re trying to accomplish for wheat and sorghum farmers in this area,” Tanner told agricultural broadcaster Ken Rahjes after the event. “Wheat covers a wide geography of the Heartland, and we’re working toward policies that will help us all be more productive.”

Specifically, Tanner and the group discussed programs such as cover crops and carbon programs. He highlighted the difficulties of growing cover crops in the arid high plains, which is why NAWG is working to get wheat recognized in the national discussion for its soil health benefits, including maximizing continuous live roots, minimizing disturbance, maintaining soil cover and maximizing biodiversity.

“Wheat is the cover crop here, so we want to make sure our farmers aren’t disadvantaged going forward,” Tanner said. “That’s where sorghum and wheat are together — those are two crops that are grown in drier climates where we can’t grow cover crops.”

Wheat disease update and management

Kelsey Andersen Onofre, assistant professor of plant pathology in K-State’s College of Agriculture, shared information about wheat mosaic virus (WSMV). She reminded attendees that WSMV and other viruses such as Triticum mosaic virus (TriMV) cannot be controlled with fungicides and are instead spread by the wheat curl mite. With their largest populations during harvest, these creatures move from wheat fields to volunteer wheat and other crops and grasses that serve as hosts. She noted that several outbreaks of WSMV are occurring in central and even northeastern Kansas, and TriMV is on the rise in central Kansas.

Onofre also reported that there was a “trifecta of rust” this year, with stripe rust showing up early. She reminded producers that these diseases can cause substantial yield losses of up to 30 to 40 percent. However, she noted that there is some resistance to the variety as well as effective fungicides.

One resource he highlighted is K-State’s new foliar fungicide guide, which focuses on efficacy ratings as well as emphasizing the need to pay attention to application timing, disease research reports and varietal vulnerabilities.

“Research by Kansas State University indicates a single fungicide application made to susceptible wheat varieties when disease risk is high will often result in a 4% to 13% increase in yield, with an average increase of about 10% compared to the wheat that remained untreated. “, the publication mentioned. “It is likely to be a lower yield response if the disease remains at low levels or is absent. The following guidelines will help maximize the potential for effective disease management and a positive yield response.”

She also promoted the release of the 2024 Kansas Wheat Variety Guide, which provides an overview of how varieties are adapted to different areas of Kansas, disease resistance and herbicide resistance, as well as other strengths and points poor performance.

“Variety selection is one of the most important decisions a wheat grower makes,” the publication noted. “This choice profoundly influences the productivity of the potential wheat crop. Agronomic characteristics such as height, acid soil tolerance and maturity determine how well a variety is adapted to a region or desired cropping system. Selecting a good variety also influences how well the crop tolerates drought or resists disease and insects.”

More insights are coming

At the conclusion of the informative day, Romulo Lollato, K-State associate professor of wheat and forage production, shared the results of the “Beyond Grain” study. The study showed that wheat has a substantial impact beyond the value of the grain itself, including the value of residues in soil moisture and temperature conservation, weed control and yield impact on the subsequent crop. Dalton Henry, vice president of trade policy with US Wheat Associates, also discussed changes in wheat seed technology and policy implications for global trade. Look for more insights from these presentations in future editions of the Wheat Scoop.

Keep up with all the latest research, industry news and podcast episodes at kswheat.com.