STUDIES OF RECOVERY FROM ARTIFICIALLY INDUCED LODGING IN SEVERAL SIX-ROW BARLEY CULTIVARS

Abstract

Artificial lodging treatments were applied to several six-row barley cultivars (Hordeum vulgare L.) in 1985 and 1986 in field plots at the University of Alberta Research Station, Edmonton, to determine the effects of lodging from the milk stage to maturity. For all cultivars the largest significant reduction in grain yield was obtained from lodging induced at the milk stage (average 21% yield reduction), with later lodging resulting in relatively less yield reduction (4% at preharvest). Significant effects of lodging treatments on thousand-kernel weight and hectoliter weight followed the same pattern. Incidence of disease (mainly scald) was significantly increased by the induction of lodging in one of the two years. Final lodging scores at maturity were significantly higher the later that lodging was induced, associated with generally reduced ability to recover from lodging. In 1 year of testing, the semidwarf cultivar Duke was found to be superior to the semidwarf cultivar Samson for lodging resistance, for ability to recover from lodging applied at all stages, for grain yield, thousand-kernel weight, and for disease resistance. In both years the cultivar Johnston had very poor lodging resistance and almost no ability to recover from lodging, whereas Leduc and Klondike were intermediate for these traits. A simple artificial lodging test is proposed for obtaining improved data on the lodging resistance and lodging recoverability of new cultivars.Key words: Lodging recovery, cultivar evaluation, disease level, grade reduction, growth stages, yield