Cold icy conditions that keep farmers home seem to spawn serious thinking about crops and markets; sometimes to the point of over analysis. With grain markets dramatically reacting to domestic and world demand, carryout numbers, projected acreage reports, currency values, weather conditions and more, it is tough to stay on the sidelines.

Many farmers have looked across a wheat field covered with snow, that is crusted with ice. Corn pricing opportunities are much better at this point than those for wheat, so questions come to our office about the viability of wheat stands. When one recalls disease challenges with 2010 wheat compared to the enjoyable harvest of a bountiful, dry corn crop, you begin to question the logic in keeping the wheat.

Farmers grow wheat for a variety of reasons. The most quoted reason I have heard is for rotational purposes. Our most faithful wheat producers often note Extension agronomists crediting a 5 to 10 percent yield enhancement for corn and soybean crops produced in a three-year rotation with wheat. Such a rotation helps keep disease, insect and weed infestations in check.

Fall wheat planting generally meshes well with soybean and corn harvest, and a late June/early July harvest is convenient for many farmers; they also like the infusion of cash sales mid-year. In addition, having acreage available for manure application is critically important for some livestock operations. Farmers also plant fields to wheat so drainage tile can be installed, waterways constructed, lime applied or fence rows cleaned up.

Of course, many livestock producers utilize their own straw. Other wheat growers sell straw for horse bedding, landscaping purposes or road construction mulch. Believe it or not, some farmers just enjoy seeing the spring green-up on their acreage.

So, should we be concerned about the survivability of this year’s winter wheat crop? You might want to think back. Did you plant after the Fly-Safe date for your county? Is the field in question well-drained, with both good surface and subsurface pathways for removal of excessive soil moisture? Are the soil fertility levels optimum and/or was sufficient fertilizer applied at planting time? Was a winter hardy variety seeded at the right rate and planted at the correct depth? Did you have a vigorous stand prior to snowfall?

After several conversations with farmers last week, I contacted Dr. Pierce Paul, Ohio State University Extension specialist for his insight. Although, not overly concerned, Dr. Paul did cite observations of several fields where tillering last fall was somewhat limited due to relatively dry conditions before cold weather set in.

With all that being said, keep in mind that the primary reason for winter kill in wheat is very cold weather and lack of snow cover. Whenever the temperatures drop to near zero and there is no protective snow cover, there is a high risk that plant tissues will be destroyed by the extreme cold. Plants that have been weakened by other conditions (diseases, insects, etc.) are particularly susceptible to the stress of low temperatures. Most of our wheat has enjoyed good snow cover.

Suffocation is another cause of winter kill in wheat. If ice forms on the soil surface, it can cut off the oxygen supply to wheat plants below. Since snow contains oxygen, Dr. Paul and I believe snow under the ice crust has protected most wheat fields.

A third cause of winter kill is heaving. Freezing and thawing of the soil can literally lift the wheat plants out of the ground. Heaving is probably our biggest threat over the next two to four weeks.

Our advice: from a wheat production potential standpoint, decisions on whether or not to maintain a wheat stand will be best made around the middle of March.

The views and opinions expressed in this column are those of the author and not necessarily those of Farm World. Readers with questions or comments for Roger Bender may write to him in care of this publication.