By Brian Hefty

The theme of the year is “cutting costs”, but be careful about cutting things that are making you money.  Here are four late-season wheat treatments that could pay you a good return on investment.  I realize they all cost some money, but if they more than pay for themselves, you earn more profit.  I’m not saying these things fit in every operation, but every operation at least needs to run the numbers and see if these options could pay off.

  1. Flag Leaf Fungicide – Consider using a dual mode of action product like Fortix, Twinline, or Stratego YLD.  We are experimenting this year with a half rate of fungicide along with the biological fungicide Regalia on a few acres.  While flag leaf applications are not very common, much of the data out there proves that flag leaf is actually the best time to spray a fungicide.  You won’t get any head scab control, but you can stop stripe rust and many other foliar diseases with a flag leaf application.
  2. Heading Fungicide – If you want to control head scab (fusarium head blight), you have to spray at heading.  The ideal timing is just as flowering gets started (10 to 15 percent flowering).  This is a small window, but if you are trying to maximize your investment, do everything possible to hit the proper timing.  The best products on scab are Prosaro and Caramba, but if the $10 to $15 cost is prohibitive for you, at least go with the $2 option (generic Folicur).  Folicur cost $15 per acre 10 years ago, and it was widely used.  Why wouldn’t you at least take a $2 chance on it today rather than doing nothing?  That chemistry is excellent on rust, effective on many other leaf diseases, and not too bad on scab.  Prosaro and Caramba have come down a little in price, too, so you’ve got three good options now for a fungicide treatment at heading.
  3. Insecticide – I am surprised at how many wheat producers have never used a foliar insecticide, as I don’t think I’ve ever been in a wheat field in my life without finding some harmful insects.  I’m not suggesting you spray automatically, but I do want you to scout your fields every single time you are out there.  It doesn’t take many harmful insects to justify the $2 investment that a full rate of Silencer costs.  If you have aphids only, you may want to spend $6 per acre to go with Transform, as Transform is lights-out on aphids yet safe to lady beetles and many beneficial insects.  The earlier you spray in the season the more likely Transform will be worth the money because if you have a chance for a second flush of aphids, you are obviously better off to keep the lady beetles alive so you don’t have to spray twice.
  4. Nitrogen – Every year I get dozens of calls and e-mails about how to increase protein in wheat.  It’s incredibly simple.  Have more nitrogen available to your crop late in the season.  Over time, I’d like to see you build up your soil’s organic matter so your land can provide that extra nitrogen each year in an environmentally friendly and inexpensive manner.  In the short-term, applying more nitrogen is the way to go.  In our operation we streambar the nitrogen on just before flag leaf, as that gives the least crop response.  You can broadcast nitrogen if you dilute it with water, but even so you will likely have leaf burn that could be undesirable.  Whatever you do, just understand that late-season N adds protein, so it is almost an essential treatment on many wheat farms.

This is not the year to leave money on the table.  Evaluate these late-season options and more to see if they might increase yield and profit on your farm in 2015.