Wheat Growth and Development – Feekes 10.1

Today managing your wheat crop requires knowledge of the different growth stages of the plant.  Growth stage identification is critical for scouting and proper timing of fertilizer and pesticide applications.  Each week throughout the rest of the growing season I will discuss the various wheat growth stages I am seeing in our wheat fields and management issues at each stage.  Today I will focus on Feekes 10.1.  While growth stage does vary throughout the County, most of our field have passed through Feekes 10 and are at (or approcahing) Feekes 10.1 growth stage.

Feekes 10.1 – The start of heading

Heading marks the emergence of the wheat head, and is subdivided into stages based on how much of the head has emerged.  The first heads escape through a split in the flag leaf sheath at Feekes 10.1. All heads are out of the sheath at Feekes 10.5. It usually takes 3 to 5 days for the head to fully extend above the flag leaf. Temperatures below 30 degrees Fahrenheit may damage the developing head. Crop water demand can exceed 0.3 inch per day during heading through the soft dough stage.

Management

Scout for insects, weeds, and diseases. A fungicide application may be considered to protect heads from scab. Check fungicide label for pre harvest interval restrictions and proper growth stage for application. Click here to go to an earlier post containing the 2023 Wheat Fungicide Ratings. 

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