This week the wheat has just finished flowering and the barley is in the early soft dough stage of kernel development.  Generally, soft dough stage is the time for the last irrigation for both wheat and barley.  This is true for producers with a silt loam soil where the soil profile is full of water.  Producers with sandy soil can irrigate beyond the soft dough stage to make up for water loss in the soil.   Producers need to remember that excess irrigation in wheat and barley will affect test weight and percent plump, increase the chance of lodging, and increase the risk of disease problems associated with lodging.  Excess irrigation in wheat will lower grain protein.

Growing degree days for week of 6/28 - 7/5 = 210
Accumulated growing degree days (emergence to 7/5) = 1787

Merit 2-row Barley

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Merit: 2-row spring barley.  Picture taken 7/7/99 at early soft dough stage.  Zadoks scale: 83, Feekes scale: 11.2, Haun scale: 14.0.

Merit: 2-row spring barley.  Picture taken 7/7/99 at early soft dough stage.   This head is approximately 4" long (excluding awns).

Merit: 2-row spring barley.  Picture taken 7/7/99.  Developing kernel at early soft dough stage from main stem head (373 Growing degree days from heading). 

Whitebird Soft White Spring Wheat

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Whitebird: soft white spring wheat..  Picture taken 7/7/99 at the end of flowering.  Zadoks scale: 69, Feekes scale: 10.5.2, Haun scale: 11.6. 

Whitebird: soft white spring wheat.  Picture taken 7/7/99 at the end of flowering.   This head is approximately 5.5" long (excluding awns). 

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