Small Grains Conditions

University of Minnesota Extension Small Grains Specialist Jochum Wiersma likes what is being seen with the cereal crop. “The conditions for small grains like wheat, winter rye, oats, and spring barley are phenomenal if it isn’t drowned out. That’s one of the challenges this spring, some areas are extremely wet and even have standing water. This causes some yellowing wheat and is nitrogen deficient due to saturated soils.” Wiersma says there is not much to do for nitrogen deficiency until the fields dry up. “The plant is basically suffering from an oxygen deprivation and as a result, it can’t take up nitrogen.”