Wheat production on raised beds on clayey and silt loam soils

Winter wheat (Triticum aestivum L.) production commonly occurs on poorly‐drained soils of the Mississippi River Delta region in Arkansas. Wheat has historically been planted on a conventional flat seedbed (CFS); however, the use of raised beds may improve drainage, grain yield, and nitrogen (N) fertilizer efficiency. Wheat production on (76 inch) wide raised crowned beds (CB) and raised flat beds (FB), were compared to the CFS in seven experiments. The more conventional 38 inch wide CB was compared to the CFS in four additional experiments. The eleven experiments were conducted from 1986 to 1991 at Keiser on a Sharkey silty clay (very fine, montmorillonitic, nonacid, thermic, Vertic Haplaquepts) and at Colt and Marianna on a Calloway silt loam (fine‐silty, mixed, thermic, Glossaouic Fraqiudalfs). Wheat grain yield was measured. Wheat in the center of the raised beds had higher yields than wheat near or in the water furrows. Increases in the number of spikes and kernels per spike is the source of the yield increases. No measurable grain yield advantage was found for raised bed wheat production in any of the experiments. Apparently, including the water furrows in the total area harvested gives an average field yield for raised seedbed production systems that is no better than CFB.