Kansas Wheat Announces Winners of 2017 Yield Contest

Kansas Wheat is proud to announce the winners of the 8th Annual Kansas Wheat Yield Contest. This year’s top wheat yields belong to Spencer West of LeRoy, Eastern Region winner; Richard Seck of Hutchinson, Central Region Winner and Alec Horton of Horton Seed Services in Leoti, Western Region Winner.

Spencer West is the overall winner of the 2017 Kansas Wheat Yield Contest, with a new contest record.

He is also a repeat winner in this year’s Eastern Region. West’s winning plot was five acres planted with WB-Cedar (WestBred) and resulted in a yield of 123.75 bushels per acre. This is West’s second consecutive regional win in the contest, and he made a splash this year with a record eastern region yield for the Kansas Wheat Yield Contest.

Richard Seck is this year’s Central Region winner. His plot was 7 acres planted with LCS Mint (Limagrain). His prize-winning yield was 115.29 bushels an acre.

Alec Horton is this year’s Western Region winner. He achieved a yield of 93 bushels per acre on his 5.98 acre plot of WB-Grainfield (WestBred). Horton is another repeat regional winner in the Kansas Wheat Yield Contest; last year’s plot smashed the record books with a yield of 121.48 bushels an acre, a Kansas Wheat Yield Contest record.

Best management practices are key for winners of the Kansas Wheat Yield Contest. All three winners used treated seed on no-till ground. In addition, winners used innovative fertilizing techniques and protected their investments with fungicide applications.  For more agronomic information on this year’s winners, see the bottom of this page.

Justin Gilpin, CEO of Kansas Wheat, said, “Hosting the Kansas Wheat Yield Contest is an exciting part of what we do here. We’re proud to recognize farmers across the state for their dedication to good management practices and celebrate their successes.”

The 2017 Kansas Wheat Yield Contest is sponsored by Limagrain, WestBred, Kansas Wheat Alliance, AgriPro/Syngenta, ADM Milling and Kansas Wheat. Winners of the contest receive a $1,000 prize that will be awarded on September 14 by the governor at the Kansas State Fair. Each winner will also receive a $500 prize, awarded by the company whose variety they planted.

In addition, the contest also has the optional Quality Initiative. Participants collect a sample of their wheat which will then be graded and analyzed by ADM Milling for various quality components. The sample with the highest overall quality, mill and bake scores will receive $250. This winner will be announced by the governor at the State Fair.

Agronomic Information

Eastern Region: Spencer West
Date Planted: 11/10/2016
Variety Planted: WB- Cedar
Planting Rate: 200 pounds per acre
Seed Treatment: Warden Cereals
Fertility Info: In furrow – 100 pounds per acre 18-46-0
                         In furrow - 50 pounds per acre 0-0-60 
                         In furrow - 10 pounds per acre zinc sulfate
                         Feekes 1 - 60 pounds per acre UAN 28 liquid
                         Feekes 1 - 6-0-0-16.5Cl liquid
                         Feekes 6 - 90 pounds per acre UAN 28 liquid
                         Feekes 9 - 25-0-0-0.5B liquid
Herbicide Info: Pre-Emergence– .2 ounce per acre Finesse + Glyphosate
Fungicide Info: Feekes 4 - 5 ounces per acre Trevo P
                             Feekes 8 – 8 ounces per acre Twinline
                             Feekes 10.5 – 8 ounces per acre Prosaro
Insecticide Info: Feekes 1 – 3.84 ounces per acre Ravage
                               Feekes 10.5 – 1.92 ounces acre Province II

Central Region: Richard Seck
Date Planted: 10/21/2016
Variety Planted: LCS Mint
Planting Rate: 80 pounds per acre
Seed Treatment: Vibrance Extreme, Cruiser
Fertility Info: In furrow – 100 pounds per acre 10-34-0
                         December - 30 pounds per acre 0-0-60 dry broadcast
                         December - 70 pounds per acre 21-0-0-24 dry broadcast
                         Tillering - 160 pounds per acre 30-0-0-3 liquid stream
                         Jointing - 225 pounds per acre 30-0-0-3 liquid stream
                         Flag Leaf - 155 pounds per acre 32-0-0 liquid stream
Herbicide Info: November– .33 ounce per acre Finesse
                             November - 8 ounces per acre MCPE
Fungicide Info: Feekes 8 - 4 ounces per acre Fitness
                             Feekes 8 – 6.4 ounces per acre AFrame
                             Feekes 10.51 – 4 ounces per acre Monsoon
                             Feekes 10.51 - 6.4 ounces per acre AFrame
Plant Growth Regulator: Feekes 7– 10.5 ounces per acre Palisade
                             

Western Region: Alec Horton
Date Planted: 9/27/2016
Variety Planted: WB - Grainfield
Planting Rate: 453,600 seeds per acre 
Seed Treatment: Vibrance Extreme, REVIZE IMIDA ST
Soil Fertility Info: Pre-Plant - 5 tons conditioned manure
                                 Top-dress  - 60 pounds per acre UAN liquid 
Herbicide Info: Dormancy– 2/10 oz Ally
Fungicide Info: Double Ridge – 6 ounces per acre Azoxy 2SC
                            Double Ridge – 4 ounces per acre Tebustar
                            Flag Leaf – 6 ounces per acre Azoxy 2SC
                            Flag Leaf – 4 ounces per acre Tebustar
Insecticide Info: Double Ridge – 4 ounces per acre Generic Warrior