Early high‐moisture wheat harvest improves double‐crop system: I. Wheat yield and quality

Abstract Double cropping winter wheat ( Triticum aestivum L.) and soybean [ Glycine max (L.) Merr.] increases total food production without additional land. However, yield and/or quality of both crops often suffer if wheat harvest is delayed beyond maturity. We evaluated the impact of high‐moisture wheat harvest on wheat yield and quality and soybean planting time across eighteen site‐years in five Mid‐Atlantic states during 2015 to 2017. Wheat was harvested three to five times beginning at 150 to 200 g kg −1 moisture at 4 to 14 d intervals. High‐moisture wheat harvest facilitated 4 to 21 d earlier soybean planting. Grain moisture generally decreased with harvest date, but temperature and rainfall varied moisture content. Wheat test weight declined linearly 2.91…