Adapted early maturity varieties therefore have greater water use efficiency than do later maturing varieties. Wheat during grain fill typically uses 0.33 inches of water per day. Using this figure, we can extrapolate a demand of 3.3 inches more water for a 10 day delay in wheat maturity. Tillage practices to enhance water storage can be very profitable in dry conditions. No-till systems which leave large amounts of residue on the surface reduce evaporative losses.
Deep tillage causes rapid losses of stored soil moisture.
Chemical fallow or shallow sweep tillage which leaves a dust mulch and large amounts of crop residue on the surface should be considered in dry years. Use chisel plows only in fields that have a tillage pan. Examine the soil and plant root systems closely before primary tillage. If significant root limiting hard pans are not present, skip deep tillage. Adequate fertility can greatly improve water use efficiency.