Wheat grain and forage yields are affected by planting and harvest dates in the central Great Plains

Although grazing of winter wheat (Triticum aestivum L.) is a common practic e in the southern Great Plains, little is known about the efficacy of wheat as a dual-purpose crop in the Nebraska Panhandle. The objective of this st udy was to evaluate the effects of establishment and harvest times on forag e and grain production of wheat cultivars adapted to the region. Six cultiv ars were planted at four dates (very early, recommended early, recommended late, and very late) in each of 3 yr. Forage samples were taken from a prev iously nonhanrvested area late in the fall, at jointing, and at the boot st age. Grain yield at maturity was; measured from each forage harvest treat m ent and from a full-season unharvested control. in 2 of 3 yr, gain yield wa s reduced an average of 25% compared with the full-season check when plants were harvested for forage at the joint stage. No gain was produced when fo rage was removed at the hoot stage. Forage removal during the fall averaged 1300 kg ha(-1) dry matter and resulted in insignificant losses in grain yi eld. While most of the fall growth was too low to the ground for clipping, it could provide high-value supplemental gazing on ac count of the high cru de protein (310 g kg(-1)) and in vitro organic matter digestibility (800 g kg(-1)) levels. Spring gazing in this region is limited to the time prior t o jointing if market conditions favor grain production.