The freezing temperatures felt by much of the Southwest this mid-November will likely not damage the state’s winter wheat crop, but should go a long way to hardening off the crop, according to Southwest Farm Press.
“It would have to get pretty darn cold for it to do any damage to the wheat,” said Dr. Clark Neely, AgriLife Extension small grains and oilseed specialist. “If you have a healthy crop, winter wheat can handle temperatures below zero Fahrenheit prior to vernalization.”
Vernalization refers to a certain number of chilling hours a plant must experience before it switches from vegetative to reproductive growth, Neely said. The early cold weather may be good for winter wheat with soil temperatures relatively warm, which will help the protect plants.
“A forecast of a moderately wet winter because of a weak El Nino would be ideal for the state’s wheat and canola crops,” said Neely.