To increase wheat (Triticum aestivum L.) yield in Kentucky, many producers are increasing nitrogen (N) rates to 160 or 180 lb N/ acre and applying a plant growth regulator (PGR) to reduce plant height and lodging. Replicated field trials were established in three environments (Princeton 2014, Princeton 2015, Lexington 2015 to determine whether increased nitrogen rates and/or PGR applications increase yield or alter the structure of the wheat plant. Five N rates (0, 50, 100, 150, 200 lb N/acre), three cultivars (Pioneer Brand 25R32, Pembroke 2014, Truman), and two PGR treatments (nontreated control, Palisade EC [12.5 oz/acre]) were evaluated. The PGR treatment consistently increased the number of spikelets head -1 ; however, grain yield was not increased. Plant height was reduced in two environments (Princeton 2014, Lexington 2015) following the PGR treatment. Height reductions were more pronounced in environments with unusually cold winter and early-spring temperatures in which untreated wheat was already significantly shorter than years with less severe winter and spring temperatures. Stem diameter increases were observed when wheat height was not shortened. Grain yield of Pembroke 2014 increased as N rates increased; maximum grain yield for the other two cultivars was achieved at 100 lb N/acre. These results indicate that the PGR did not consistently reduce plant height or increase grain yield.

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Selection for milling and baking quality in wheat (Triticum aestivum L.) head‐rows could increase the efficiency of most soft winter wheat (SWW) breeding programs. We evaluated whole grain‐wheat meal (WM) assays for their ability to select lines with acceptable SWW quality and high gluten strength in early‐generations and estimated heritability of SWW quality and gluten strength. One hundred fourteen lines from a cross of strong and weak gluten parents was assessed over three location‐years. Flour quality and gluten strength were measured using flour and WM measures. Correlations between WM assays on head‐rows and flour‐based assays conducted on replicated trials from two locations were significant (P < 0.05). Wheat meal sedimentation volume (WM‐SED) was correlated with flour lactic acid solvent retention capacity (SRC; r = 0.37). Wheat meal sodium carbonate SRC (WM‐SRC) was correlated with flour sucrose (r = 0.37), flour sodium carbonate (r = 0.46) and flour water (r = 0.47) SRC and negatively correlated with wire‐cut cookie diameter (r = −0.33) and flour yield (r = −0.40). Soft winter wheat quality and gluten strength improved when selections were based on WM‐SRC and WM‐SED, respectively. Early‐generation selection for SWW quality and gluten strength using WM tests should increase the frequency of SWW selections with desirable quality characteristics in replicated yield trials.

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Core Ideas Harvested plant population was reduced with April and early‐May planting dates. Greater soybean seeding rates are needed for April and early‐May planting dates. Seed yield was greatest for April and early‐May planting dates. Relative yield loss/day was 0.50% after 8 May in MG IV cultivars. In Kentucky, the optimum planting window for soybean [Glycine max (L.) Merr.] was mid‐May to mid‐June for more than 30 years. This is despite recent work in the United States indicating that April to May planting dates maximize seed yield. To determine the effect of planting date on seedling emergence and harvested plant population, seed yield, and yield loss/d when soybean are planted outside the optimum planting window a maturity group (MG) II and a MG IV cultivar were planted between mid‐April and early‐July from 2006 to 2011. For the MG II cultivar, April planting dates required the most days to seedling emergence and had the greatest seed yield; the harvested plant population was similar across all planting dates. For the MG IV cultivar, April planting dates required the most days to seedling emergence, had the least number of plants/acre at harvest and the greatest seed yield. Average stand loss was approximately 20% for all planting dates of the MG II cultivar. For MG IV, average stand loss ranged from 15 to 35% with greatest loss occurring with the earliest planting dates. The relative yield loss/d was 0.50%, beginning on 9 May, for MG IV cultivars. These findings indicate that late‐April to early‐May planting dates maximize soybean seed yield in Kentucky assuming greater seeding rates are utilized to ensure at least 100,000 plants are harvested/acre.