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Oklahoma wheat harvest is starting early after a dry, difficult season that left much of the crop short, stressed and sharply divided by moisture.

In this Oklahoma Wheat Crop Update from the Oklahoma Wheat Commission, Dave Deken reports from OSU wheat plot tours near Kingfisher, Homestead and Lahoma, while checking fields near Seiling and Canton.

Amanda Silva, Ph.D., Oklahoma State University’s extension small grains specialist, shares what she is seeing in the field, including drought stress, shortened grain fill, possible small kernels, abandoned and hayed acres and wind-related shattering risk.

Oklahoma winter wheat is now 94% headed, and the crop condition remains tough: 20% very poor, 28% poor, 40% fair, 10% good, and 2% excellent.

The update also looks at the latest drought conditions, the east-to-west soil moisture split shown by the Oklahoma Mesonet and what producers should watch as combines begin rolling.

Key takeaways:

• Oklahoma wheat harvest is beginning earlier than normal in many areas.

• Drought continues to pressure wheat across much of the state.

• Some fields have already been abandoned or baled.

• Shortened grain fill may lead to smaller kernels.

• Wind and dry conditions could increase shattering risk in some varieties.

• Moisture remains much lower in western Oklahoma and the Panhandle than in central and eastern Oklahoma.