Growers seeking to increase yields at less risk will want to plant to best possible wheat varieties this fall, and attending one of Colorado's field wheat meetings can help pick a cultivar.

The annual Wheat Planting Decision Meetings offer growers information on the highest-yielding varieties in the Colorado State University Uniform Variety Performance Trials and Collaborative On-Farm Tests, say officials with the Colorado Wheat Administrative Committee.

Attending growers will each receive a flash drive containing the Wheat Variety Database, which allows producers to make comparisons between varieties and look at data from CSU trials as far back as 1990.

Suggestions will include planting more than one variety of wheat in order to manage risk under varying growing conditions.

Varieties on deck for grower viewing will include selections from CSU, AgriPro, WestBred, Watley Seed and other regional public breeding programs. Wheats for irrigated production will also be probed at the sessions, which are scheduled as follows:

Wednesday, Aug. 17: Noon luncheon, Chez DuVall's, Granada, Colo.; 6:30 p.m. dinner meeting at Community Center, Burlington, Colo.

Thursday, Aug. 18: Breakfast at Dry Creek Seed Company plant, Genoa, Colo. ; noon luncheon meeting a Central Great Plains Research Station, Akron, Colo.; 6:30 dinner meeting at Anderson Wheat Farms, Dailey, Colo.

Friday, Aug. 19: Breakfast meeting at Midcap Farms, Wiggins, Colo.

The CWAC and Colorado Wheat Research Foundation, hosting the meetings, will present CSU Extension Specialist Jerry Johnson to share the university's uniform wheat variety and farm test results for 2011. He will  recommend varieties for growers.

Scott Haley, a CSU wheat breeder, will discuss newer varieties and developments in breeding as well as the wheat variety database.  Brad Erker, Colorado Seed Growers Association director, will present the availability and value of certified wheat seed and the Plant Variety Protection Act.

Darrell Hanavan, CWAC and CWRF executive director, will probe the CWRF ConAgra Ultragrain  Premium Program and CWAC research funding.