Wheat can be dried by a few points with natural air to hurry up the harvest. Early harvested wheat can help avoid continued drying and re-wetting from wet weather after maturity and help preserve test weight and other quality factors of wheat.

Before harvest, the bin should be thoroughly cleaned and treated for insect pests. Ask your pest management advisor for approved insecticides and consider hiring a professional to do the job right.

Natural air should be used to dry shallow layers of wheat when moisture content is 18 percent or less. A very small amount of heat resulting in a temperature rise of just 3 to 5 degrees Fahrenheit is typically necessary when moisture contents are as high as 20 percent. The key to success is to dry shallow layers only 2 to 3 feet deep so that airflow rates are on the order of 2 to 5 cfm per bushel. Drying to 14 percent moisture content should be completed within one day.

For more information on wheat production including a chapter on Wheat Harvest Drying and Storage, get a copy of MU publication IPM1022 “Management of Soft Red Winter Wheat” by calling Extension Publications at (573) 882-7216. The entire manual is also available to the people of Missouri at our Web site at http://extension.missouri.edu/explore/agguides/pests/ipm1022.htm.

Bill Casady
573-882-4370