Winter Wheat in Nova ScotiaWinter varieties are planted in the early fall, and are harvested in late July or August of the next year.This crop - in the Annapolis Valley - will yield probably 6-7 tonnes of grain per hectare. That compares to traditional (pre-1900) yields of 1-3 tonnes per hectare for temperate cereals. The yield potential of cereals has increased greatly this century, mostly through breeding for higher Harvest Index (the proportion of the total plant biomass that is taken off as grain at harvest), and intensive management. The wheel tracks in the photo mark the lines where tractors pull fertilizer applicators and sprayers though the field. By restricting the vehicles to specific tracks, compaction of soil by heavy machinery is limited to a small area.
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