North Dakota Durum Wheat Variety Trial Results for 2024 and Selection Guide

Durum was planted on 1.1 million acres in North Dakota in 2024, up from 905,000 acres seeded in 2023. The average yield was 47 bushels per acre (bu/a), up substantially from 37 bu/a last year. The 2024 growing season started off with good soil moisture and a long, cool spring that was ideal for small grain vegetative growth in May and June. The weather turned dry in July across western North Dakota, and a period of extremely hot temperatures in late July and early August likely reduced what may have been even higher yields due to heat and drought stress during early grain fill. On July 24 and 25, maximum daily air temperatures of 98 and 106 degrees, 98 degrees and 104 degrees, and 105 degrees and 107 degrees Fahrenheit were recorded at North Dakota Agricultural Weather Network stations in Dickinson, Hettinger and Williston, respectively.