Yields decrease 1 bushel per acre for each day's delay after April 16. Similar results could be expected in southern Minnesota, while in northern Minnesota the optimum seeding dates might extend into late April or early May. Table 4. A wide range in maturity exists among oat varieties, thus early varieties should be planted when seeding is delayed. Early varieties have a better chance to fill before hot weather when seeded late than do the late varieties. Also, early varieties will mature more rapidly than late varieties, and therefore be in a less disease-susceptible stage of growth late in the growing season when diseases are often most prevalent.
Diseases can cause serious yield losses in late planted oats.
The most disease-resistant varieties should be selected whether seeding early or late. Flax Flax should be seeded as early as small grains. Table 5 shows results from seeding date trials in the northern and southern regions of the north-central flax growing area. A seeding delay of 3 weeks in the northern region decreased yields less than in the southern region. Perhaps the warmer temperatures during the flowering period in the southern regions resulted in lower yields at the late date.