A comparison of spike and spikelet survival in mainstem and tillers of barley |
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| Authors: | JOAN E. COTTRELL RUTH H. EASTON J. E. DALE ANGELA C. WADSWORTH JILL S. ADAM R. D. CHILD G. V. HOAD |
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| Affiliation: | Botany Department, University of Edinburgh, King's Buildings, Edinburgh EH9 3JH Long Ashton Research Station, Long Ashton, Bristol BS18 9AF |
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| Abstract: | Initiation and abortion of spikelet primordia on primary tillers and mainstem were compared for plants of spring barley, Maris Mink, sown on two sowing dates during 1983, in plots at the Scottish Crop Research Institute (SCRI) and at Long Ashton Research Station (LARS). Sowing date had no effect on the number of spikelets initiated on either mainstem or surviving tillers and many more spikelets were initiated on equivalent stems at LARS than at SCRI but more spikelets aborted at the former site. The final number of spikelets produced was eventually similar. Spikelet abortion was complete by anthesis and coincided with the period of rapid stem and rachis elongation and with the time over which tiller death occurred. Despite the fact that plants at SCRI produced fewer fertile tillers they outyielded those at LARS because much heavier grains were produced on the mainstem and tiller 1 of plants at the Scottish site. An interval of 2 wk between sowing had only small effects on the components of yield. |
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