Winter wheat (usuallyTriticum aestivum) are strains ofwheat that are planted in theautumn to germinate and develop into young plants that remain in the vegetative phase during the winter and resume growth in early spring. Classification intospring wheat versus winter wheat is common and traditionally refers to the season during which the crop is grown. For winter wheat, the physiological stage of heading (when the ear first emerges) is delayed until the plant experiencesvernalization, a period of 30 to 60 days of cold winter temperatures (0 to 5 °C; 32 to 41 °F).^[1]

Winter wheat is usually planted from September to November (in the Northern Hemisphere) and harvested in the summer or early autumn of the next year. Winter wheat usually yields more than spring wheat.

So-called "facultative" wheat varieties need shorter periods ofvernalization time (15–30 days) and temperatures of 3 to 15 °C (37 to 59 °F). In many areas, facultative varieties can be grown either as winter or as a spring wheat, depending on time of sowing.

In countries that experience mild winters, such as in South Asia (India, Pakistan, Nepal, Bangladesh), North Africa, the Middle East, and the lower latitudes (e.g.Sonora in Mexico), spring wheat (not requiring a period of vernalization) is also sown in the autumn (November–December) and harvested in late spring (April–May) the next year. This spring wheat planted in the autumn and grown over the winter is sometimes also incorrectly called "winter wheat", and is also known as arabi crop.

Hard winter wheats have a highergluten protein content than other wheats. They are used to make flour foryeastbreads, or are blended with soft spring wheats to make the all-purposeflour used in a wide variety of baked products. Pure soft wheat is used for specialty or cake flour.Durum, the hardest wheat, is primarily used for makingpasta. Almost all durum wheat grown in North America is spring-planted.^[2]

Winter wheat is grown throughout Eurasia and North America.

Winter wheat is grown as acash crop and aforage crop. Optimal growing conditions for winter wheat include high-drainage soil with medium texture. Mid-quality soil nutrient content is best for winter wheat, with an appropriate supply ofnitrogen being critical for the wheat to be able to establish itself in time before winter dormancy. In addition, a firmseedbed helps protect the wheat over the winter.^[3] In the United States, about 40% of the total wheat production is of a strain known as hard red winter wheat, with soft red winter wheat contributing another 15% of the annual wheat crop. Also, winter varieties of white wheat are grown.^[4] Soft red winter wheat is also grown in the Canadian province ofOntario, along with white winter wheat.^[5]

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• If used ascover crop, winter wheat helps maintaintopsoil, preventing soil erosion over winter when many fields liefallow.
• Winter wheat outcompetes many weed varieties.
• It can be grown as both cover crop and cash crop.
• Easy to manage, it still provides a good yield.
• It helps build soil (through heavy production of organic material) and cycle nutrients through soil.^[3]
• This wheat uses soil moisture more efficiently, since it starts to grow earlier in the spring.
• Winter wheat crops are harvested earlier in the season, which is beneficial in regions with rainy autumn weather.

Winter wheat was brought toKansas by German-Russian Mennonites in the 19th century.^[6] Bernhard Warkentin andMark A. Carleton played a major part in the spread of winter wheat as a commercial crop. Warkentin organized mills in central Kansas and imported seed fromUkraine to meet growing demand. Carleton worked for theUnited States Department of Agriculture as a crop explorer. He went toRussia to find other wheat varieties and worked withKansas State University researchers to develop new ones. Winter wheat production quickly spread throughout theGreat Plains, and was, as it still is, usually grown using the techniques ofdryland farming.^{[citation needed]}

Fortemperate climate zones such as Canada,^[7] increases in yields for winter wheat due toclimate change are predicted. For Ukraine, where temperatures are increasing throughout the year and precipitation is predicted to increase, winter wheat yields could increase by 20–40% in the north and northwestern regions between 2010 and 2050.^[8]

Winter wheat cultivation practices vary significantly by region, primarily due to differences in climate and pest pressures. For example, in the North American Great Plains, a primary concern is the plants' ability to survive harsh winters, leading to the selection of cold-hardy varieties of hard red winter wheat.

In contrast, in regions with mild winters (such asUSDA hardiness zones 8 and 9), the primary concerns are different. Cultivation in these areas is adapted to address a shorter vernalization period, heat stress, and a higher risk of pests and diseases. In these climates, growers often prefer soft red winter wheat varieties.

• Wheat
• German-Russian culture in the United States
• Winter

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