Wheat Harvest Tips

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Carefully Time Harvest

Monitor field closely for harvest readiness.

Always harvest between 20% and 14% moisture.

Above 20% moisture:
- Harvest damage to the kernels is more likely.
- Grain can be harder to store.
- Test weights can be lower.
Below 14% moisture:
- Cutter bar losses can increase.
- Test weights may decline each time the crop gets wet from dew or rain.
- Lodging may increase.
- Weeds may grow tall enough to interfere with harvest.

Consider harvesting at 18% to 20% moisture and artificially drying the grain.

Check Combine Settings

Each time conditions or varieties change, recheck the settings on the combine.

Check behind the combine for grain loss.

Remember, about 17 to 18 kernels per square foot equals approximately one bushel per acre.
Making a few minor adjustments can reduce harvest loss. The operator’s manual will give you step-by-step instructions.
Change only one setting at a time, and then check to see what effect that change made.

Make Additional Combine Adjustments

Fields infected with head scab may require additional combine adjustments to remove infected seed.

Head scab typically decreases test weight and reduces grain quality.
Mycotoxins produced by the head scab fungus cause these grain quality issues.
Fields severely infected with head scab may require increased fan speeds to remove light, shriveled, infected kernels.

When harvesting severely lodged wheat:

Try harvesting in different directions to find the angle at which the header best picks up the wheat.
Adjust the reel slightly ahead of the cutter bar and far enough down to lay the head on the platform.
The reel should turn slightly faster than ground speed.

Maintain soil moisture for double-crop soybeans.

Try harvesting in different directions to find the angle at which the header best picks up the wheat.
Adjust the reel slightly ahead of the cutter bar and far enough down to lay the head on the platform.
The reel should turn slightly faster than ground speed.

Manage wheat residue.

Wheat straw should be baled or spread uniformly with the combine.
Leaving heavy amounts of residue on the ground may result in poor seed/soil contact during soybean planting.

Drying and Storing Wheat

Air drying

Air drying wheat in storage will result in higher test weight and quality.
When bin-drying wheat, the bin should only be filled to a depth of about 7 to 9 feet (2.1 to 2.7 m); any deeper and air flow will not be adequate.
Make sure the initial layer is dry before filling the remaining space.
Wheat provides more resistance to air flow than corn, making it a tough crop to dry in a bin situation.

Continuous-flow dryers

Continuous-flow dryers handle wet wheat very well, as they are drying only the portion in the dryer.

Drying temperatures and optimum grain moisture

For commercial mill quality, dry wheat at temperatures of 140 ºF (60 ºC) or less.
For seed production, dry wheat at 110 ºF (43 ºC) or less.
For long-term storage, dry wheat to 12.5% moisture