Nevada County Picayune and Gurdon Times Newspaper Archive

Fall Planting Window Now

by Ron Matlock

The optimum planting window for south Arkansas is October 15 through November 15.

Rice fields can be burned and the levees smoothed for no-till planting of wheat. This system will work if the levees do not restrict water flow off the field.

Wheat no-till planted following soybean requires good distribution of crop residue for sucessful production. As we always stress, drain furrows number and placement is critical in successful wheat production.

Loose smut continues to increase and the current recommendation is to use a good seed treatment such as Raxil/Thiram or Dividend.

Some producers have shown interest in planting what no-till into corn residue. This planting system in the Midwest has resulted in substantial scab problems. Tillage to incorporate the residue is recommended to reduce possible scab infection.

The typical planting rate for wheat has been 1 1/2 bushel per acre when drill seeded. Wheat seed vary in size, thus the number per pound also vary. With this in mind, a rate of 1.2 million seeds per acre or 28 seeds per square foot should be drill seeded.

If the seeds are broadcast, the seeding is rough or the soil type is clay, the seeding rate should be increased to 1.5 million seeds per acre or 35 seeds per square foot.

For calculating seeding rates of 1.2 million per acre grain drill seeded, the number of seed per linear foot should be 14, 16 and 18 representing drill spacings of 6, 7 and 7.5 inches, repectively.

Aerial seeding into soybean should be done prior to leaf loose or at the onset of soybean leaf yellowing. Also, double swathing is recommended with seeding rates being three to four bushels per acre.

Soil fertility requirements, phosphorus and potassium, should be based on soil test. Where wheat follows rice, corn or grain sorghum, nitrogen should be applied at a rate of 30 to 40 units per acre.