HOME HELP FEEDBACK SUBSCRIPTIONS ARCHIVE SEARCH TABLE OF CONTENTS		QUICK SEARCH:   [advanced] Author: Keyword(s): Year:  Vol:  Page:

This Article Full Text (PDF) Alert me when this article is cited Alert me if a correction is posted Services Similar articles in this journal Alert me to new issues of the journal Download to citation manager Citing Articles Citing Articles via Google Scholar Google Scholar Articles by Dahnous, K. Articles by Miller, D. G. Search for Related Content PubMed Articles by Dahnous, K. Articles by Miller, D. G. Agricola Articles by Dahnous, K. Articles by Miller, D. G.

Height and Yield Response of Selected Wheat, Barley, and Triticale Cultivars to Ethephon¹

Yield losses occur in cereals as a result of lodging. Ethephon [(2-chloroethyl)phosphonic acid] has been reported to reduce lodging; however, studies of its effect on grain yield have produced conflicting results. In this study. selected cultivars of semidwarf wheat (Triticum aestivum L.), normal height barley (Hordeum vulgare L.) and triticale (Triticale hexaploid L.) were treated with ethephon to determine (1) if this growth regulator had an effect on yield other than via a reduction in lodging and (2) the optimum growth stage and rate (kg/ha) of application. Foliar-applications to field grown plants (the soil was a fine-silty, mixed, mesic Cumulic Haplaxeroll) were made at two plant growth stages, late boot and early heading. Ethephon was applied at 0, 0.28, and 0.55 k&a in 1976 and at 0, 0.28, 0.55, and 0.85 kgha in 1977. Main plots were fertilized with 45 or 90 kg N/ha in 1976 and 90 or 180 kg N/ha in 1977.

Ethephon applications at the late boot stage reduced the elongation of plants more effectively than applications at early heading. Ethephon treatments reduced elongation of tall cereal species, i.e., barley and triticale were significantly shorter following treatment of 0.28 kg/ha in 1977. Ethephon treatments increased harvestable yields when they reduced lodging. For instance, untreated ‘Unitan’ barley lodged heavily, but ethephon treatment of 0.55 kgha reduced lodging which resulted in increased harvestable yields. Ethephon treatment of 0.84 kg/ha significantly inhibited stem elongation in semidwarf wheats, but semidwarf wheats did not lodge and treatment did not increase yields. The results of this study indicate that further field testing should be conducted in regard to ethephon's potential to benefit yields of tall, ‘weak-stemmed’ cereals such as barley, since no benefit was derived from ethephon treatment to semidwarf wheats.

Key Words: Lodging • Cereals • Ethylene • Growth regulator • Hordeum vulgare L. • Triticale hexaploid L. • Triticum aestivum L.

² Presently: head, Agronomy Unit, Agriculture Research Center, Tripoli, Libya; associate professor, Dep. of Agriculture, Western Illinois Univ.; and professors, Dep. of Agronomy and Soils, Washington State Univ.; and chairman, Plant and Soils Science Dep., Montana State Univ.

Received for publication February 5, 1981.