Oklahoma State University is hosting wheat variety testing plot tours across the state as part of the annual wheat variety trials to allow producers to learn about local growing conditions and how different wheat varieties respond to them.
Funded by the Oklahoma Wheat Commission and the Oklahoma Wheat Research Foundation in partnership with OSU Extension and OSU Ag Research, the 2026 plot tours are in 17 locations across the state, starting at the end of April and ending in May. The tours include both replicated and demonstration plots to show treatments and management techniques side-by-side at the field scale.
“The wheat plot tours are a great opportunity for producers to see how varieties are performing under real field conditions, especially under the drought and disease pressure we are seeing this year,” said Amanda Silva, OSU Extension small grains specialist. “They also get to see the latest research from our programs.”
Producers from across Oklahoma and surrounding states use these plot tours to make informed decisions about their own growing operations.
“I see a lot of the same people year after year,” said David Gammill, a producer in Cotton County. “It’s an effective way to see how different varieties from different institutions stand out badly or stand out well in the area.”
During the plot tours, producers can engage with Extension educators and specialists, as well as fellow producers who share similar experiences.
“It is our chance to hear from producers about their challenges and needs,” Silva said. “We develop our research program around their interests, so we always look forward to these moments to interact with and learn from them, too.”
The plot tours so far have shown a severely drought-stressed crop, which will result in a large reduction in yield and harvested acres in the state, Silva said.
“We are also seeing lots of fields with wheat streak mosaic and barley yellow dwarf virus infestations,” she said.
Following the plot tours, OSU will conduct wheat variety trials on these locations across the state to collect data on yield, test weight, protein concentration, disease resistance and key traits such as maturity and lodging or any other characteristic that appears in the season, offering a snapshot of the challenges and conditions faced by Oklahoma wheat producers this season.
Information from these trials will help producers choose the best wheat variety to maximize profit.
More than 70% all wheat acres in Oklahoma are planted with varieties developed at OSU, including 43 varieties commercialized by the OSU Wheat Improvement Team since 2000. This team directly and significantly impacts food security worldwide, with wheat supplying 20% of the energy humans derive from food.
Efforts are underway to modernize the OSU’s Agronomy Research Station and create the Agronomy Discovery Center with new and updated facilities to better serve key constituents and lead in comparative advantage areas in the wheat industry.
To learn more about the plot tours and variety trials, visit Wheat Research and Extension online.
