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Dry Weight of Panicles as an Estimate of Yield in Grain Sorghum 1
Author(s) -
Robinson R. G.,
Bernat L. A.
Publication year - 1963
Publication title -
crop science
Language(s) - English
Resource type - Journals
SCImago Journal Rank - 0.76
H-Index - 147
eISSN - 1435-0653
pISSN - 0011-183X
DOI - 10.2135/cropsci1963.0011183x000300010009x
Subject(s) - panicle , library science , sorghum , crop , citation , agricultural experiment station , biology , horticulture , agronomy , agriculture , computer science , ecology
GRAIN yield and moisture content at time of harvest are important considerations in evaluating grain sorghum hybrids and production practices. If dry weight of panicles from a plot gives a valid estimate of grain yield, threshing, cleaning, and weighing the grain would be unnecessary. Thus, considerable work would be saved in sorghum trials where both moisture and yield data are needed. Consequently, the association between dry weight of panicles and grain yield per acre was studied on plots involving comparisons of varieties, herbicides, and row spacingplant populations. Data were obtained by the following procedure. All plots of a trial were harvested on the same day, after killing frosts, and as soon as the earliest varieties were in combining condition or about 20% moisture. Panicles on each plot were cut off just below the lowest branch, weighed, and dried for about 2 weeks to a residual moisture of about 2%. The dried panicles were weighed, and their moisture percentage at harvest was calculated. To obtain grain yield, the dry panicles were threshed with a plot thresher, and the grain was cleaned and weighed. Threshing required considerable a d j u s t m e n t of cylinder speed to avoid powdering of kernels, and sometimes more than one threshing was required when panicles had both mature and immature seed. Total correlation coefficients between bushels per acre and dry panicle weight per plot are shown in Table 1. The unusually high correlation coefficients of .95 or higher were not due to use of varieties of the same maturity. Differences of 2 weeks in date of heading and 8% or more in head moisture at harvest were common. Herbicide trials included effective treatments and some that reduced yield. Row spacings varied from 6 to 40 inches, and populations varied from about 40,000 to over 200,000 plants per acre. Therefore, the close association of dry weight of panicles and grain yield persisted under a wide range of treatments within a trial. Regression coefficient tests were employed to determine whether correlation was consistent at all levels or whether the total correlation coefficient of a trial represented an average of unlike correlation coefficients. Homogeneity tests