Winter wheat (usually Triticum aestivum) is a wheat variety that is planted in the autumn to germinate and evolve into young plants that remain in the vegetative process throughout the winter and resume development in the early spring. The definition of spring or winter wheat is popular and usually refers to the season during which the crop is cultivated. For winter wheat, the physiological stage of the heading (when the ear first emerges) is deferred until the plant faces a vernalization of 30 to 60 days of cold winter temperatures (0° to 5°C; 32–41°F).
Winter wheat can tolerate freezing temperatures for long periods of time during the early vegetative stage and allows exposure to freezing or near freezing temperatures to activate the reproductive stage. In other words, if winter wheat does not move through a time of cold temperatures, then it does not yield seed. Two factors that are required for winter wheat to perform optimally and produce good yields are cold acclimatization and vernalization.
Winter wheat is typically planted from September to November (in the Northern Hemisphere) and harvested in the summer or early autumn of the following year. In some areas (e.g. Chile) the winter-wheat crop is completely ‘full’ in the year before harvesting. Winter wheat typically grows more than spring wheat.
The so-called “facultative” wheat varieties require shorter vernalization times (15–30 days) and temperatures between 3° and 15°C (37–59°F). In certain places, optional varieties can be grown either as winter or as season, depending on the time of sowing.
Winter wheat is cultivated in Europe, North America and Siberia.
Types of Winter Wheat
Winter wheat can be subdivided into two major categories, namely:
- Hard Red Winter Wheat
- Soft Red Winter Wheat
Hard Red Winter Wheat
Hard red winter wheat is the most common variety of wheat grown in the world. As all winter wheat, it is planted in the fall and grows just a few inches before winter forces it goes dormant. Most home-grown millers use hard red winter wheat because of its better flavor than white wheat equivalents. It is known as “red wheat” because of its reddish husk. Berries look a bit darker than most white ones. With a protein content of around 10.5 percent, it is very flexible as a general-purpose flour. Winter wheat also produces higher yields of berries, depending on the time of sowing. Hard winter wheat can also have a higher gluten content than spring wheat.
Hard red winter wheat is rich in protein, which corresponds with elevated levels of gluten. Along with high protein count, hard winter wheat is an excellent source of dietary fiber, selenium and manganese, important for proper metabolism and good health. Low saturated fat, low cholesterol and reduced sodium have made this form of wheat suitable for use in baking breads. People who have an allergy or are either vulnerable to wheat or gluten are advised to avoid this type of flour. Although the allergies of wheat and gluten may be mistaken with each other, they have separate side effects. Gluten induces small intestine inflammation, while wheat allergy causes the body to produce protein antibodies in wheat.
Soft Red Winter Wheat
Compared to hard red wheat varieties, soft red winter wheat has a relatively low protein content, making it a top option for bakers finding soft pastry and pan bread. In a rougher shape, this wheat is often used to produce pasta and cereal. Since it is a lighter type of wheat, it is easier to grind than hard wheat. Like other red varieties, the husk of soft red winter wheat has a reddish color and contains slightly darker flour than white wheat equivalents. Winter wheat is cultivated in the fall and harvested in the late spring or early summer. Winter wheat is much more widely cultivated and harvested than spring wheat.
Like all red wheat, soft red winter wheat is an outstanding source of protein, about 17 grams per cup. This wheat is low in sodium, low in cholesterol and very low in saturated fat, less than 1 gram per serving amount. An excellent source of dietary fiber and phosphorous, this wheat is also an excellent source of manganese. While soft red winter wheat flour typically has lower gluten content than other varieties of wheat, it still has gluten. It’s wheat, too, but anyone with a wheat allergy can obviously avoid the flour. Reactions can range from mild skin irritation to immune system reactions requiring medical treatment.
Benefits of Winter Wheat
As a general rule, winter wheat is cultivated as a cash crop, but it may also support most other crops. Winter wheat also has a number of other benefits:
- Suppresses Weed: Sown in the fall, wheat competes very well with most weeds once it has been cultivated. It also grows very easily in the spring, causing most types of weeds to be choked out.
- Builds Soil and Organic Matter: Wheat is an ideal source of straw and stubble, and its root structure can help to increase topsoil tilth. It does not yield as much as other crops, such as barley or rye, but the residue is easier to handle.
- Protects Soil and Boosts Income: One of the key benefits of wheat is that it is the perfect fall cover crop that you will later opt to cultivate as a cash crop. It’s an outstanding double crop that leaves a lot of residue to prevent the topsoil from washing away. Disease and rodents are often rarely a problem.
- Nutrient catch crop: The nutrients are recycled as wheat is managed as a cover crop, which gives it a primary role in the scavenging of nitrogen. Enhances the N, P, and K cycles. When used as a cover crop instead of a grain crop, no fertilizer is required in the fall or spring.
- Controls Erosion: Winter wheat is used as an over-wintering cover crop to control erosion.
- Cash and Cover Crop: Even though winter wheat can be grown either as a cash crop or as a cover crop, it is handled differently. There will be a nice combination of wheat and crimson clover in a region like the Cotton Belt. In another field, cowpeas will be a good option after the wheat harvest at the beginning of July and the winter wheat harvest in the fall. In the Corn Belt, you might want to sow red clover or frosted sweet clover to nurture a wheat crop, particularly if you want a year of hay before you go back to the corn.
