Plant growth regulator(s) (PGR) can be used as lodging inhibitors and/or yield promoters for spring barley (Hordeum vulgare L.). From 1987 to 1990 four field experiments were conducted to monitor barley main-stem apical development and to determine the effects of chlormequat (CCC) and ethephon on the development, physiology and yield of spring barley. Our data provide a description of barley apical development and the general pattern of leaf and spikelet primordium production under field conditions. In general, PGR treatment reduced the apical dominance of dominant sinks allowing the survival and greater development of more subordinate sinks. Early application of either CCC or ethephon retarded development of the main-stem apex from shortly after application to the awn elongation stage and reduced the number of aborted spikelet primordia, thus increasing the potential number of grains per spike and sometimes grain yield. Ethephon applied at ZGS 39 reduced plant height and lodging. Early application (ZGS 30) of ethephon, alone or in combination with CCC increased the number of spikes m$ sp{-2},$ but not grain yield. The number of spike-bearing shoots per unit area or per plant was increased by early PGR treatment, primarily by enhancement of tiller number rather than tiller survival. Early application of CCC or ethephon to spring barley is not justified, and caution must be taken when using ethephon at the currently recommended rate and stage for lodging control. Post-anthesis application of ethephon can efficiently enhance grain fill and yield of spring barley.
| Identifer | oai:union.ndltd.org:LACETR/oai:collectionscanada.gc.ca:QMM.70213 |
| Date | January 1991 |
| Creators | Ma, Baoluo |
| Publisher | McGill University |
| Source Sets | Library and Archives Canada ETDs Repository / Centre d'archives des thèses électroniques de Bibliothèque et Archives Canada |
| Language | English |
| Detected Language | English |
| Type | Electronic Thesis or Dissertation |
| Format | application/pdf |
| Coverage | Doctor of Philosophy (Department of Plant Science.) |
| Rights | All items in eScholarship@McGill are protected by copyright with all rights reserved unless otherwise indicated. |
| Relation | alephsysno: 001245515, proquestno: AAINN72087, Theses scanned by UMI/ProQuest. |
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