Effects of grazing on grain yield of winter barley and triticale: The position of the apical dome relative to the soil surface

Abstract

lIlia' winter barley and oCT 138n7/1' hexaploid winter triticale were sown at depths of 25 (nonnal) and 60 mm (deep) and the position of the apical dome measured at weekly intervals before grazing with sheep in early spring. For both species the dome was below the soil surface at the time of grazing but approached the surface once lemma primordia became visible on the apex. Apical development and dome elevation occurred later in triticale than barley. Approximately 1200 kg dry matter (DM)/ha was removed by grazing, the sheep showing preference for the barley. Deep sowing delayed the time of dome elevation slightly in triticale but not in barley. Grazing did not reduce grain yield, with both species producing about 8 t/ha. Deep sowing increased the grain yield of both species by about 8%, an effect which was associated with more grains per ear. Herbage and grain yields are discussed in relation to temperature and manipulating the time of grazing. Both species had produced 7-8 main stem leaves at the time of grazing.

Biofuel from plant biomass

“…Forage oats yielded 16.9 t DM ha −1 in the author's 2009 trial (unpublished), similar to other North Island findings (Kerr and Menalda 1976;Stephen et al 1977;McDonald and Stephen 1979). Winter barley dry mass yields were 14.7-16.6 t ha −1 (Kerr and Menalda 1976;Scott and Hines 1991). Triticale whole crop yields can be >20 t DM ha −1 , both in the North Island (Scott and Hines 1991) and the southern South Island (Plant & Food Research unpublished trial results for clients).…”

“…Winter barley dry mass yields were 14.7-16.6 t ha −1 (Kerr and Menalda 1976;Scott and Hines 1991). Triticale whole crop yields can be >20 t DM ha −1 , both in the North Island (Scott and Hines 1991) and the southern South Island (Plant & Food Research unpublished trial results for clients). All these yield results are on good arable crop land.…”

Dual-purpose use affects phenology of triticale

“…According to this framework, anthesis date can be modelled irrespective of TS, a developmental moment of key importance for dual-purpose cereals, because it coincides with when the apex of the main stem, which has until then lain 2-3 cm below the soil surface, is brought to the surface by the elongating stem (McMaster, 2009;Giunta et al, 2015). Interrupting grazing at this stage prevents removal or damage to the developing spike on the shoot apex and potential loss of grain yield (Scott and Hines, 1991). The strong relationship between FLN and the number of leaves emerged at TS (Jamieson et al, 2007;Giunta et al, 2015) has established an association between anthesis date http://dx.doi.org/10.1016/j.fcr.2015.07.026 0378-4290/© 2015 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.…”