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Stem Excision as a Means of Simulating Hail Injury on ‘Alaska’ Peas 1
Author(s) -
Miller D. G.,
Muehlbauer F. J.
Publication year - 1984
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/agronj1984.00021962007600060032x
Subject(s) - point of delivery , pisum , main stem , biology , vegetative reproduction , horticulture , shoot , population , sativum , agronomy , dry weight , plant stem , medicine , environmental health
Accurate assessment of stem hail injury in peas ( Pisum sativum L.) resulting from excised stems is difficult to make and can cause problems in hail adjustment methods. This study evaluated stem excision and its effect upon subsequent growth and yield in fieldgrown peas. Four levels of simulated hail injury were applied to ‘Alaska’ peas previously thinned to 13, 20, 26, or 33 plants m −2 . Injury treatments were made by cutting the primary stem and removing all tissue above the point of excision on plants at the rate of 0, 5, 10 or 20% of the total plant population when plants were in the eighth node (vegetative) and full‐bloom (reproductive) growth stages. Plants in the vegetative stage were excised between the fourth and fifth node (Treatment 1). Those in the reproductive stage were excised between the fist and second flowering node (Treatment 2a) or immediately below the first flowering node (Treatment 2b). Individual plant performance at all treatments showed that damaged plants had delayed maturity, reduced plant height, increased branching, and reduced seed weight when compared to undamaged plants. Seeds pod −1 were similar on damaged and undamaged plants except at Treatment 2b, where a significant reduction in seeds pod −1 was noted on damaged plants. Pods plant −1 were reduced for Treatments 1 and 2a, but not for Treatment 2b. Damaged plants recovered by initiating branches from lateral buds; however, they required 6 to 7 days more than untreated plants to reach dry seed maturity. When peas were treated in the vegetative stage, yield declined 0.41% for each 1% increase in damaged plants. Yield declines of 0.59% for Treatment 2a and 0.85% for Treatment 2b were obtained for each 1% increase in damaged plants in the reproductive stage. This information concerning plant recovery from excised stem damage and yield compensation by undamaged plants should make hail damage adjustment in peas more precise.