Double-cropping after wheat harvest can be a high-risk venture for grain crops. The remaining growing season is relatively short. Hot and/or dry conditions in July and August may cause problems with germination, emergence, seed set, or grain fill.

These tips identify common challenges for corn, soybean and sorghum harvest and offer ways to optimize yield potential and reduce potential losses.

Kasey Gamble, who operates dryland no-till acres in Kiowa County, Kansas, secured the Bin Buster Award with a yield of 244.03 bushels per acre in the 2021 National Sorghum Producers Yield Contest.

For Aaron Wickstrom, keeping his 2,400 dairy herd fed requires triple-cropping on his 1,000 acres of flood and pivot irrigated fields near Hilmar, Calif. To provide silage, he first plants corn by May 1 that’s harvested in August, followed by sorghum that’s harvested as silage in October. He then no-tills a winter cover crop of Italian rye or a mix of wheat, oats and rye.