Wheat production in North Dakota this year declined slightly from 2004, due to lower average yields caused by disease and more heat stress on spring wheat.

Farmers in the state produced an estimated 304 million bushels of all types of wheat, down 1 percent from the previous year, the U.S. Department of Agriculture said Friday. Harvested acres totaled 8.8 million, up 14 percent, but the average yield of 34.4 bushels per acre was down 5 percent.

The spring wheat estimate of 224 million bushels was down 11 percent from the Aug. 1 USDA forecast, while the durum wheat estimate was up 18 percent. Durum is a wheat variety used in pasta.

"I think a lot of it had to do with the timing," said Leland "Judge" Barth, a marketing specialist with the North Dakota Wheat Commission.

"More of the spring wheat crop was affected by the heavy rains in June and the onset of disease pressure from that heavy rain," he said. "The durum crop was planted later and wasn't affected by the heavy rains like the spring wheat crop was."

Over the year, the spring wheat crop was down 8 percent and durum was up 29 percent.

Barth said durum production jumped for several reasons, including newer and better varieties, and improved disease and fertility management by farmers.

"The third factor is the weather cooperated in the north central and northwest … the major durum growing region," Barth said.

Nationwide, total wheat production was estimated at 2.1 billion bushels, down 3 percent from last year.

Other North Dakota small grain estimates:

3 Barley, 57.2 million bushels, down 38 percent from 2004 and the lowest production since 1988. Harvested acres were down 28 percent, and the average yield of 54 bushels per acre was down 8 bushels.

3 Oats, 14.2 million bushels, up 1 percent. Harvested acres were up 9 percent, and the estimated yield of 59 bushels was down 5 bushels.

In a separate report, USDA said North Dakota wheat stocks on Sept. 1 totaled 287 million bushels, down 4 percent from the previous year.

On-farm stocks, at 220 million bushels, were down 11 percent. Off-farm stocks, at 67 million bushels, were up 30 percent.