By Scout Nelson
On May 15, 2025, the Wheat Quality Council’s winter wheat tour conducted its second day of scouting. A total of 67 participants traveled from Colby to Wichita, Kansas, along six routes, visiting wheat fields. Local farmers joined the group in Wichita, enhancing the collaborative effort.
During the day, scouts made 211 stops in wheat fields spread across western, central, and southern Kansas, extending into northern Oklahoma counties. The teams applied the USDA’s late-season yield formula, which counts wheat heads, spikelet's, and kernels per spikelet to estimate production. The calculated average yield was 53.3 bushels per acre. This method does not account for disease, pests, or weed pressures.
A key topic addressed was Wheat Streak Mosaic Virus (WSMV). A Kansas State University extension specialist noted, “The story of the day was Wheat Streak Mosaic Virus much worse than the first day. Some fields were bright yellow and very stressed.” The specialist explained that southwest Kansas has struggled with drought in recent years.
Although rainfall improved conditions this year, WSMV caused significant crop stress. The main concern with WSMV is yield loss, while grain quality will depend largely on weather during the grain-filling period. Other issues noted included wheat stem maggot and loose smut.
From Oklahoma, a wheat association representative shared USDA-NASS estimates projecting state production at about 107 million bushels with a 39 bushel per acre yield, like the previous year. Industry scouts slightly lowered this estimate to 101 million bushels and 36 bushels per acre.
The Wheat Tour continues with six routes scheduled for the following day between Wichita and Manhattan.
Photo Credit: gettyimages-ygrek
Categories: Kansas, Crops, Wheat, Weather