By Cody Creech, UNL Department of Agronomy/Horticulture in Scottsbluff; Amanda Easterly, Department of Agronomy/Horticulture in Sidney; and Brian Maust, Department of Agronomy/Horticulture in Lincoln
The 2023 Nebraska Extension Fall Seed Guide is now available at cropwatch.unl/varietytest. The online guide has details on yield, protein, test weight, ratings for disease characteristics, location summaries, and weather information.
A dry fall contributed to poor fall growth and initial stand, confounded by an incredibly cold winter across the state. Significant freezing temperatures and blizzards occurred in December, led to several regions being affected by winterkill and blowouts, and the variety trials at Lancaster, Jefferson, and Clay counties were lost. Despite a delayed start to spring, timely rains in the western part of the state rescued the crop, and some fields saw extremely good yields.
The data in the Fall Seed Guide provides information on individual, regional, and multi-year performance of varieties available to growers as well as sneak peeks into experimental varieties being developed by Dr. Katherine Frels and the UNL Small Grains Breeding Program and other seed industry partners. Preparations and planting are already underway for the 2024 Winter Wheat Variety Trials. Updates to the testing include the addition of an irrigated trial in Scotts Bluff County. More than 70 varieties will be tested at locations across the state in 2023-2024.
Members of the Crops Testing Team can be reached via email with questions regarding the results and interpretation at ccreech2@unl.edu, bmaust2@unl.edu, or aeasterly2@unl.edu.
Testing would not be possible without the support of our cooperators across the state, who graciously share land to conduct the trials, host field tours, and manage the sites for high-quality data. We would also like to thank the Agricultural Research Division, Nebraska Wheat Board, UNL Extension, and the Department of Agronomy and Horticulture.