Drought is taking a toll on wheat in the Texas Panhandle. The region’s crop is also being impacted by Russian wheat aphids, wheat streak mosaic virus, and recently hail and above-average temperatures, according to Jourdan Bell, Texas A&M AgriLife Extension agronomist, Amarillo.
“We are even seeing lower yield potentials in irrigated wheat,” she says. “Regionally, we’ve had a really tough year.”
An update on current conditions, along with a plot tour to see how varieties are performing under this season’s strenuous conditions, will be held May 26 at Bushland, from 9-11:30 a.m. The Small Grains Plot Tour is free and will be held in the irrigated wheat field plots at the Conservation and Production Laboratory, operated by AgriLife Research and the U.S. Department of Agriculture Agricultural Research Service.
Participants will hear from several experts prior to walking the wheat plots. The following topics and speakers will be discussed:
— Current conditions and the High Plains Uniform Variety Trials – Bell.
— New and upcoming wheat and triticale varieties — Jackie Rudd, AgriLife Research wheat breeder, Amarillo; and Jason Baker, AgriLife Research senior research associate, Amarillo.
— Current wheat disease issues — Ken Obasa, AgriLife Extension plant pathologist, Amarillo.
— Introduce Kiran Gadhave, AgriLife Research entomologist.
— Texas Wheat Producer Board Update — Darby Campsey, Texas Wheat Producers director of communications and producer relations, Amarillo.
— Tour 2021-2022 Irrigated Uniform Variety Trial – Bell, Rudd.
AgriLife Extension county agents Rick Auckerman, Deaf Smith; Amanda Spiva, Oldham; Megan Eikner, Potter; and J. D. Ragland, Ph.D., Randall, will all join Bell in hosting the tour.
For more information, contact: Bell at [email protected]; or county agents Auckerman, [email protected]; Spiva, [email protected]; Eikner, [email protected]; or Ragland, [email protected].
Small Grains Plot Tour to feature a crop update and new and upcoming wheat and triticale varieties along with a field tour.
