What month should wheat be sprayed with chlormequat, and how to apply it correctly?
At the same time in different locations, the growth stages of wheat differ due to different climates. In some regions the wheat is currently at the jointing stage (such as in Jiangsu and other places), in some regions it is at the booting stage (such as in Henan and other places), and in some regions it has just entered the greening stage. So in different regions at the same time, the management measures for wheat also differ. Then what month should wheat be sprayed with chlormequat? How should it be applied?
Chlormequat is an antagonist of gibberellin. In spring, from the greening stage of wheat to before jointing, spraying chlormequat on excessively vigorous wheat can inhibit the biosynthesis of gibberellin within the wheat plant, control vegetative growth, promote reproductive growth, promote short and sturdy wheat seedlings, thick stems, dark green leaf color, and a well-developed root system, and improve stress resistance. The dosage should be reasonably determined according to the degree of excessive wheat growth. So when should wheat be sprayed with chlormequat? The article below introduces in detail the timing of chlormequat use on wheat.
When should wheat be sprayed with chlormequat
The best spraying time should be in the early jointing stage of wheat (after the greening of winter wheat). The earlier the application time, the poorer the dwarfing effect, but the better the yield-increasing effect; the later the application time, the more obvious the dwarfing effect, but the greater the impact on yield, and the later the application, the greater the yield reduction.
The jointing stage of wheat refers to the stage when a relatively hard node can be felt by hand at the base of the wheat plant, and in appearance the basal leaves have left the soil surface and begun to change from clustered leaves into upright leaves, rather than what farmers call the jointing and heading stage. If chlormequat is used only at that time, the yield reduction will be very severe.
Methods of using chlormequat at the wheat sowing stage
1. Seed dressing with a growth retardant: although emergence is delayed by a few days, it can increase the emergence rate; promote wider and thicker wheat seedling leaves, earlier tillering, increased tillering, more secondary roots, short and sturdy seedlings, dark green leaf color, and improved cold and drought resistance.
2. Soak seeds with a 16-33 times dilution of 50% chlormequat aqueous solution for 6-12 hours, then sow after drying in the shade. This can make the root system well developed, the leaf color dark green, promote increased tillering, and make the wheat seedlings robust. The effect is even more obvious on late-sown wheat and helps improve cold resistance.
3. Soak seeds with a 2500-5000mg/L chlormequat solution, or dress each kilogram of wheat seed with 10 grams of chlormequat, then sow after air-drying. The seedlings grow robustly, the root system develops well, effective tillering increases, the stems are thick, the basal internodes are shortened, and lodging resistance is improved. For example, spraying with a 3000mg/L chlormequat solution at the jointing stage of wheat can prevent wheat lodging.