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Some effects of straw residues and cultivation system on tillering in winter wheat
Author(s) -
Bacon Edward T G,
Christian Dudley G
Publication year - 1991
Publication title -
journal of the science of food and agriculture
Language(s) - English
Resource type - Journals
SCImago Journal Rank - 0.782
H-Index - 142
eISSN - 1097-0010
pISSN - 0022-5142
DOI - 10.1002/jsfa.2740540108
Subject(s) - sowing , straw , plough , agronomy , yield (engineering) , semis , crop , winter wheat , biology , environmental science , materials science , metallurgy
Straw residues can reduce the yield of a following cereal crop, perhaps through an effect on tillering. Over two years we measured tillering of winter wheat on a clay soil where straw was either burnt or chopped and returned. Seed was direct drilled in the first year and direct drilling was compared with conventional sowing after ploughing in the second year. Straw had no marked effect on the production per plant of the first three main tillers. Direct drilling resulted in earlier tillering and more tillers per plant than conventional sowing after ploughing, but this was not reflected in grain yields calculated from components of yield. Part of the tillering effect may have been caused by differences in sowing depth.