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Response of Barley to Ethephon: Effects of Rate, Nitrogen, and Irrigation
Author(s) -
Foster Kenneth R.,
Taylor John S.
Publication year - 1993
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/cropsci1993.0011183x003300010023x
Subject(s) - ethephon , agronomy , irrigation , cultivar , biology , hordeum vulgare , straw , crop , yield (engineering) , horticulture , poaceae , materials science , biochemistry , ethylene , catalysis , metallurgy
Lodging incidence in cereal crops depends upon both crop management and environmental conditions. Ethephon [(2‐chloro‐ethyl)phosphomic acid] controls lodging, thus preserving yield. The objective of this study was no investigate the effects of ethephon on spring barley ( Hordeum vulgare L.) with different N rates, irrigation treatments, or application rates of ethephon. Ethephon was applied at Zadoks Growth Stage 43 at 0.28 kg ha ‐1 in the N and irrigation studies, and at rates between 0.1 and 0.5 kg ha ‐1 in the ethephon rate study. Plant height and lodging were reduced by ethephon in each study; however, ethephon did not consistently reduce lodging at Belgian indices of 7.0 and above. Differences in cultivar response were observed. In the ethiphon rate trial, 0.1 kg ha ‐1 ethephon reduced lodging of ‘Harrington’, while 0.25 kg ha ‐1 was required to similarly reduce lodging of ‘Leduc’. Ethephon reduced the number of kernels per spike, had variable effects on grain mass, and delayed crop maturity by up to 4 d. Whole plant protein was unaffected by ethephon. Ethephon reduced grain protein by 25% and decreased straw protein by 9% in 1986, and had no effect on grain protein in 1987. Ethephon was an effective antilodging agent only under moderate lodging pressures; it is not likely to preserve an increased yield under conditions of intense irrigation and high fertility.