Rain, Wind, and Wheat: Resilience in Action - RDA 417

Oklahoma wheat growers have faced a wild ride this season—droughts, floods, wind, and more. In this episode, Dr. Amanda Silva from OSU Extension joins the Red Dirt Agronomy crew to unpack the 2025 wheat harvest and the unexpected resilience of this year’s crop. 
We hear from Dr. Josh Lofton and Dr. Brian Arnall as they reflect on the evolution of modern wheat management and share insights from statewide variety trials, nitrogen studies, and the ever-challenging Oklahoma climate.

You'll also get an exclusive preview of an upcoming hands-on sorghum event in Woods County on July 29, offering growers and consultants a chance to get dirty and dive deep into forage quality, nitrate testing, and in-field crop assessments. 
Whether you're scouting sorghum or pondering wheat seeding rates, there's something for everyone in this packed episode.

Key Takeaways

1. OSU is hosting a hands-on sorghum event in Woods County on July 29.
2. Many summer crops in Oklahoma are doing better than expected due to timely rainfall.
3. The wheat harvest has been delayed due to persistent rain and field saturation.
4. Some wheat fields experienced up to 40% shattering from storm damage.
5. Intensive management, especially timely nitrogen application, led to significantly higher wheat yields.
6. Wheat planted at lower seeding rates in late season performed similarly to higher rates.
7. Variety and planting date flexibility helps manage environmental risks.
8. Genetic flexibility in newer wheat varieties may be increasing productivity.
9. OSU is expanding trials to further study wheat population and fertilizer timing.
10. Growers are reminded that no growing season is typical—adaptability is key.

Episode Timeline

00:00:02 – Welcome & Episode Tease
00:01:11 – OSU Specialists Join the Table
00:01:58 – Sorghum Event Announcement
00:03:02 – What to Expect at the Sorghum Field Day
00:05:39 – Event Logistics & Registration
00:07:28 – Summer Crops Update
00:08:46 – Early Corn Success in Southwest Oklahoma
00:12:08 – Corn Equipment Shortage
00:15:12 – Challenges for Cotton and Late-Planted Soybeans
00:17:58 – Wheat Harvest Delays
00:20:55 – Understanding Test Weight Loss
00:22:06 – Hail, Wind & Shattering Losses
00:25:17 – Managing Secondary Tillers at Harvest
00:27:10 – Desiccation and Public Perception
00:30:22 – Wheat Variety Trial Takeaways
00:32:01 – Nitrogen Timing Wins the Day
00:33:00 – Rethinking Seeding Rates
00:36:44 – 2025–2026 Wheat Research Preview
00:40:01 – What's Driving Big Yields?
00:43:19 – Comparing Grain Quality in Tillers vs. Main Stems
00:44:18 – Reflecting on the 2025 Wheat Crop
00:46:25 – Agronomic Deja Vu
00:47:15 – Accessing Wheat Trial Data

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