What are the causes of highland barley lodging and the control methods?
Highland barley is a cereal crop. Because its inner and outer glumes are separated and the grain is naked, it is also called naked barley or yuanmai. It is the main food grain of the Tibetan people, with a cultivation history of 3,500 years. However, lodging can occur during highland barley cultivation, seriously affecting the yield of highland barley. So what are the causes of highland barley lodging? How should it be controlled? Let's take a look at the detailed introduction below.
1. Variety factors
The lodging situation of highland barley is greatly related to differences in the lodging resistance of its varieties. Under normal circumstances, tall-stemmed varieties tend to show a top-heavy phenomenon during growth, making them highly prone to lodging; in addition, varieties with slender basal internodes and poor stem elasticity and toughness also have relatively poor lodging resistance.
Control method: Therefore, when planting, try not to choose the above two types of varieties. Choose varieties with not-too-tall but thick stems, thick internodes, and relatively good elasticity and toughness to reduce the lodging rate.
2. Poor land preparation quality
During land preparation, conditions such as harrowing with disease, uneven soil covering, large clods, high soil viscosity, and poor permeability may all cause the root system to be distributed shallowly and unevenly, so the plants grow thin and weak and are highly prone to lodging in the later stage.
Control method: During planting and land preparation, be sure to harrow evenly and cover soil evenly, break up large clods in the field, loosen the soil, and maintain soil permeability.
3. Poor sowing quality
Sowing too early or too late can both lead to lodging. If sowing is too early, the temperature is relatively low, the seedlings grow thin and weak, and lodging is easy; if sowing is too late, the temperature is relatively high, the seedlings become spindly, and the stems are slender and weak, making lodging easy. In addition, sowing too deep or too shallow can also lead to lodging. If sowing is too shallow, the seed root system is relatively shallow, leading to lodging; if sowing is too deep, the seeds consume a large amount of nutrients during germination, resulting in weak seedlings and lodging. Also, if the sowing density is too high, the seedlings grow densely after emergence, and the young seedlings are weak, which can also lead to lodging.
Control method: The sowing time must be well controlled, and it should not be too early or too late. The sowing depth should preferably be 3-7 cm, flexibly controlled according to the local soil structure. During sowing, also pay attention to density. If the seedlings are dense after emergence, thin them out in time.
4. Improper management
When too much nitrogen fertilizer and relatively little phosphorus and potassium fertilizer are applied to highland barley, the stems grow excessively and become fragile, making lodging easy in the later stage. Concentrated or improperly timed fertilization can easily cause vigorous growth or premature aging of the plants, causing lodging. In addition, pest and disease control is not in place, and fertilization can hinder stem growth, resulting in weaker lodging resistance and making lodging more likely.
Control method: Fertilization must be reasonable. Pay attention to the application rate of nitrogen fertilizer, increase the application of phosphorus and potassium fertilizers, and improve the plant's disease resistance and lodging resistance. Great importance must be attached to pest and disease control, and pests and diseases should be dealt with promptly once discovered to prevent further spread.
The above is an introduction to the causes of highland barley lodging and the control methods. We hope it can help you. To learn more related knowledge, please follow us.