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Effect of Leaf Removal at Four Stages of Growth on Yield of Castorbeans 1
Author(s) -
Kittock D. L.,
Williams J. H.
Publication year - 1967
Publication title -
agronomy journal
Language(s) - English
Resource type - Journals
SCImago Journal Rank - 0.752
H-Index - 131
eISSN - 1435-0645
pISSN - 0002-1962
DOI - 10.2134/agronj1967.00021962005900050037x
Subject(s) - raceme , yield (engineering) , ricinus , biology , agronomy , horticulture , botany , inflorescence , materials science , metallurgy
Removal of castorbean ( Ricinus communis L.) leaves at four growth stages at the rates of 1/4, ½, 3/4, and total defoliation resulted in lower yields than the check. Differences between most partial defoliation treatments were not large enough to be significant. Stage of growth when partial defoliation treatments were applied had no significant effect on yield. Total plant defoliation at each of the four dates resulted in yields that were significantly lower than the check. Differences between dates were also significant. Regrowth following the first two total defoliations produced yields that were adequate to justify continuation of fields under farm conditions. Best yield recovery occurred following defoliation at the bloom stage of the primary raceme. Alternaria leaf spot [ Alternarla ricini (Yoshii) Hansford] infection occurred after tertiary racemes started blooming but before quaternary racemes started blooming.