By Blake Jackson
Agricultural professionals from across Pennsylvania recently completed the annual wheat crop tour, evaluating fields in the South Central and Southeast regions to estimate yield potential and grain quality before harvest.
The survey, led by Penn State Extension Educator Heidi Reed, included assessments of 12 fields in Adams, Franklin, and York counties and five fields in Berks, Lancaster, and Lebanon counties.
Yield estimates were made several weeks before harvest using established sampling methods. However, researchers noted that kernel weight was not measured because grain development was still incomplete.
In addition, heavy rain and wind after the tour may have caused lodging in some fields, meaning final harvest yields could be lower than projected.
The survey found that wheat yields are expected to decline significantly compared to both last year and the seven-year average.
Southeast Pennsylvania fields are projected to produce about 15% less grain, primarily due to reduced tiller counts likely caused by drought and cold weather during the fall and winter.
The outlook was even more challenging in South Central Pennsylvania, where estimated yields were approximately 24% below average.
Researchers observed fewer spikelets per head and fewer kernels per spikelet, indicating the crop experienced stress during key growth stages because of prolonged drought. Cold winter conditions and unexpected April freezes may have added to the damage.
Most growers planted wheat during early to mid-October following soybeans, although some fields followed corn. Management practices varied, including different seeding rates, fertilizer programs, and row spacing.
Many producers applied split nitrogen applications with sulfur, while flowering fungicide treatments were widely used after severe Fusarium head blight outbreaks in 2025.
Disease pressure remained relatively low this season. Fusarium head blight was rarely observed thanks to favorable genetics, timely fungicide applications, and weather conditions that limited disease development.
Powdery mildew, Septoria leaf blotch, Stagonospora glume blotch, and isolated leaf rust were present in some fields, while insect activity from cereal leaf beetles and English grain aphids remained minor.
Overall, drought emerged as the primary factor reducing Pennsylvania's 2026 wheat yield potential, with winter freezes contributing additional stress across many fields.
Photo Credit: gettyimages-ianchrisgraham
Categories: Pennsylvania, Crops, Wheat, Education, Weather