continued on page 8 ONTARIO GRAIN FARMER COVER STORY 7 Such is the case with a literature review concerning the implementation of winter wheat in Ontario crop rotations, attempting to determine its economic viability and environmental resilience as a grain crop. The review was conducted by five University of Guelph students and drew on peer-reviewed literature, Canadian publications, Government of Ontario resources, and material from Grain Farmers of Ontario. In a subtle twist on previous research examining winter wheat in rotations, the fourth-year students, Andrea Kolodziej, Madeline Killen, Chelsea Uusitalo, Julia Perucelli, and Ria Hamilton, sought to reveal the benefits of winter wheat as a cover crop first and a grain crop second. Titled “A Critical Review of the Potential of Winter Wheat as a Tool for Enhancing Sustainability and Profitability of Grain Production in Ontario,” the project was carried out in partnership with Grain Farmers of Ontario and coordinated through Ibrahim Mohammed, Grain Farmers of Ontario’s sustainability and environment specialist. WHAT THE NUMBERS SAY The statistics for winter wheat production in Ontario indicate an increased value in the crop on its own. In the past five years, wheat yields have averaged 93.1 bushels/acre, while acreages planted and harvested have averaged more than 1.0 million acres. Estimates for the 2025 winter wheat crop were 1.184 million acres. Research into lengthening crop rotations began in 1980 with Dr. Bill Deen at the University of Guelph’s Elora Research Station. Eight rotations were studied, including two with winter wheat. In 1995, Doug Young began work on the long-term effects of maintaining winter wheat at what was then Ridgetown College of Agricultural Technology (RCAT). That work was succeeded by Dr. Dave Hooker at the University of Guelph’s Ridgetown Campus. Although their treatments varied (including underseeding with red clover in 2010), the work determined that winter wheat boosted yields in subsequent corn and soybean crops and reduced the reliance on nitrogen-based fertilizer. This latest report aims to provide insights into the role of winter wheat as a cover crop, an interesting twist on research into the effects of lengthening rotations. An added focus is its potential effect on improving soil health, reducing soil erosion, and enhancing the carbon content in the soil. “Winter wheat isn’t normally considered a cover crop and is mainly used for its (grain) crop qualities,” says Andrea Kolodziej, speaking on behalf of the students involved in the review. “Within our research, we wanted to show that it has the same benefits as conventional cover crops while also being able to be used as a (grain) crop. This allows winter wheat to have increased benefits while it’s being used in rotation with corn and soybeans.” THE PROCESS The students pursued a systematic review of studies from a variety of databases, including Google Scholar and Ag Data Commons, among several others. Studies were chosen if they contained information on five key points: • how winter wheat improves soil health • how it compares to other cover crops • evaluation of its economic benefits • economic factors that might affect its adoption • possible incentives or policies that are recommended The group enlisted the help of Dr. Helen Booker, who holds the Grain Farmers of Ontario Professorship in Wheat Breeding, and Dr. Vern Osborne, a retired professor of animal and poultry science. RESULTS First on the list of findings was the effects on nitrogen, which were shown to increase nitrogen uptake within the soil profile, with some studies citing up to 67 per cent reduced leaching compared to conventional rotations without cover crops. Those effectively scavenge excess nitrogen within the profile and can reduce leaching and runoff. Winter wheat also supports microbial populations, which also help regulate excess nitrogen levels. The more resilient a microbial community, the stronger the nutrient cycling potential, particularly nitrogen cycling, resulting in reduced nitrogen losses to leaching and minimized nitrous oxide (N2O) levels. From an erosion perspective, cover crops increase the amount of ground cover days thereby reducing the risk of soil loss through wind and water erosion. The project found that incorporating winter wheat into a corn-soy rotation can increase the effective soil cover days from 70 per cent to about 91 per cent. And with this comes a WHAT'S IN A NAME? Should we call winter wheat a cover crop? Given that winter wheat has so many environmental benefits, akin to a cover crop, should it be classified as such? According to Mohammed, the term 'cover crop' serves a precise purpose—it defines a class of plants grown with the sole intent of protecting and enhancing the soil, independent of market return. If we begin including harvested crops in this definition, we risk eroding the usefulness of the cover crop term and causing confusion. That said, this study allows us to make the case that winter wheat has all of the environmental benefits of a cover crop, plus economic benefits, putting it into a class of its own. And when we advocate for governments and customers to provide winter wheat with the same regard and support as cover crops, we're making that case very clearly.
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