Can I seed winter wheat on chem-fallow?
Yes, as long as there is enough stubble to capture and maintain sufficient snow cover. However, this may not always be the case since the stubble becomes brittle and loses snow-trapping ability. In a study in which 65 winter wheat fields were surveyed, the lowest average snow trapping potential (STP) of 17 was observed on chem-fallow (Fowler, 2000). In this study, winter wheat had a high risk of winter-kill when seeded into fields or areas within fields that had a STP of less than 20, where: STP = [stubble height (cm) x standing stems per m2] รท100. The target STP prior to seeding should be greater than 40. Post-seeding STP should be greater than 20. When seeding, use equipment which preserves the stubble.
