THE 1974 SPRING WHEAT CROP The Statistical Reporting Service 1, USDA, reported: SPRING WHEAT OTHER THAN DURUM Acres (1000) Yield (Bu/A) Bushels (1000) ----------------------- -------------------- --------------------- State 1972 1973 1974 1972 1973 1974 1972 1973 1974 ---------------------------------------------------------------------------------------- No. Dakota 5,143 6,170 6,480 29.0 27.5 20.5 149,147 169,675 132,840 So. Dakota 1,125 1,570 2,040 24.0 23.0 15.0 27,000 36,110 30,600 Minnesota 1,440 1,920 2,670 33.0 39.0 29.0 47,520 74,880 77,430 Montana 1,780 1,790 1,940 26.0 21.0 19.0 36,280 37,590 36,860 U.S.A. 9,894 12,511 14,343 29.0 28.6 22.5 286,799 353,968 322,774 1 = January, 1975. COMMENTS ON GROWING CONDITIONS Some cooperators furnished brief descriptions of growing conditions and they are summarized here to aid in data interpretation. MINNESOTA - Planting and harvesting dates were about two weeks later than normal. During the tillering stage, it was cool and dry at Morris, but hot and dry at Crookston. At St. Paul, it was cool and dry in May and hot in both June and July. At harvesting time, it was cool and wet at the three locations. MONTANA - Planting and harvesting dates were near normal. The summer was hot and dry which forced the plants to mature early as a result low yields and low test weights were obtained. NORTH DAKOTA - Planting and harvest dates were two to four weeks later than normal at all locations due to a prolonged cold, wet spring. Based on soil tests, fertilizer was applied at all locations except Dickinson. Rainfall was below normal at all locations and temperatures were higher than normal at Carrington. Hail destroyed the test at Fargo. NEBRASKA - Hot and dry weather dominated the growing season resulting in low yields and low test weights. SOUTH DAKOTA - Planting and harvesting dates were near normal. Moisture was considerably below normal and temperature was higher than normal. Additional N and P were applied at seeding. WASHINGTON - Hot and dry during tillering and filling stages of the growth period that resulted in low yields. MANITOBA - Planting and harvesting were two to three weeks later than normal at Winnipeg (Glenlea). The previous crop was a rye cover crop and additional N and P were applied. Moisture was below normal and temperatures were high most of the season. Severe, drought stress symptoms were exhibited in August. The Hard Red Spring Wheat test was discarded due to several missing plots and very low yields. ALASKA - Planting and harvesting were about one week earlier than normal at Fairbanks. Temperature was normal and rainfall was about 50% below normal during June and July. Previous crop was fallow and additional N, P, and K were applied. CONCLUSION SPRING WHEAT OTHER THAN DURUM: Production of spring wheat other than durum in 1974 totaled 323 million bushels, 9 percent below the 1973 crop but 13 percent above the 1972 crop. The smaller production was the result of the low average yield as acreage harvested was 15 percent above a year ago and the largest since 1953. The average yield of 22.5 bushels per acre was nearly 6 bushels below the previous year and the lowest since 1966, mainly a result of late planting and drought during critical stages of development. The 1974 spring wheat crop was severely limited by a cool wet spring, late planting, summer drought and an early frost. Seeding in Minnesota, North Dakota, and Montana was delayed two to three weeks by rain and wet fields. On top of the late plantings, weather conditions in these States turned extremely hot and dry in late June and precipitation the remainder of the season was below normal. Unusually early killing frosts, starting as early as the Labor Day weekend, also caused some damage to the late crop in the States. The South Dakota crop was planted on time but dry weather in June and July held down yield. In the Pacific Northwest, cool damp weather slowed early growth and combined with dry weather later in the season to limit yield.