This chapter covers the production and breeding status of winter wheat (Triticum aestivum L.) used for early-season animal grazing and late-season grain production in the Southern Great Plains of the United States. Besides, in the chapter, the current production status and needs, the drawbacks of current cultivars, breeding strategies of the crop, novel genomics tools, and sensor technologies that can be used to improve dual-purpose winter wheat cultivars were presented. We will focus on traits that are, in general, not required by cultivars used for grain-only production but are critical for cool-season forage production.

Cultivation of grain crops has been rightly recognized as one of the main drivers in shaping human civilizations. Considering their key role in fulfilling a major portion of the global food needs, grain crops are the most widely grown crops around the world. Unfortunately, like many other agronomic crops, grain crops are quite vulnerable to climate change and this has posed multifaceted threats to agricultural sustainability. To add to the menace, the deteriorating quantity and quality of both land and water as primary factors of production are further aggravating the scenario. Confronting such challenges demands innovative adaptation strategies through intensification of grain crop production that can ensure grain self-sufficiency worldwide.

"Limited rainfall is the controlling factor in crop production in the Great Plains. The average yields of a series of years can be foretold from the records of past years; but because the rainfall is fluctuating in amount and uncertain in distribution, the yields of a simple year can not be foretold with any certainty. The chances of success are, however, much better when the soil is wet to a considerable depth at seeding time than they are when the soil contains little or no available water at that time. The relation between the amount of water in the soil at seeding time and the yield is much closer with winter wheat than with other crops. This crop should, therefore, be seeded on the best-prepared land and that in which the greatest amount of water is stored. Except in the southern section, the response of winter wheat to summer tillage is greater than that of any other crop. Summer-tilled land should be seeded to winter wheat wherever this crop can be grown. The growth of corn is one of the best preparations for winter wheat, especially north of Kansas. With increase in the length of season and the time between harvest and seeding, there is an increase in the value of early preparation for winter wheat. In the northern section the crop can be replaced with spring wheat without serious loss. In the central section winter wheat has a greater advantage over spring wheat and can not be replaced by the latter without serious loss. In the southern section, winter wheat is less certain and less productive than farther north and can not be replaced by spring wheat. It is, however, profitably raised under favorable conditions of oil, season, and preparation. In this section particularly it should be recognized that the chances of producing a crop are low when it is seeded on land that does not contain water enough in storage to wet the soil to a depth of 3 feet."--Page 2

Cover crops slow erosion, improve soil, smother weeds, enhance nutrient and moisture availability, help control many pests and bring a host of other benefits to your farm. At the same time, they can reduce costs, increase profits and even create new sources of income. You¿ll reap dividends on your cover crop investments for years, since their benefits accumulate over the long term. This book will help you find which ones are right for you. Captures farmer and other research results from the past ten years. The authors verified the info. from the 2nd ed., added new results and updated farmer profiles and research data, and added 2 chap. Includes maps and charts, detailed narratives about individual cover crop species, and chap. about aspects of cover cropping.