What is an Optimum Plant Stand?
An optimum winter wheat plant stand consists of 20-30 plants per square foot. It is well-known that winter wheat has the amazing ability to compensate for thin plant stands by increasing tillering. The impact of poor stands on yield is not black and white however. Research has shown that a plant stand of 7-8 plants per square foot yields about 70-80% of a normal stand. However, the key point to remember is a thin stand won’t likely compensate fully to produce full yields. Fields with Small Patches of Poor Stands For fields with small patches of poor stands, the best option is to leave the field and focus on management strategies such as controlling broadleaf and grassy weeds in a weed control program, early application of nitrogen to encourage tillering, and increase disease scouting since weakened plants may be delayed in growth leading to increased risk of rust and fusarium head blight infection. Please refer to the Guide to Crop Protection for herbicide and fungicide control options
