Don’t let lodging get your cereals down

The same conditions that favour good crop development and grain yield in cereals also tend to favour lodging, constraining production in high-yield environments.

According to an Alberta AgriFacts bulletin, lodging occurs when a cereal crop faces moderate to high precipitation and high fertility. The bulletin also states, “Lodging can reduce yields from seven to 35 percent with the greatest yield reductions occurring when lodging happens within 20 days after anthesis.”

A lodged cereal crop may result in reduced grain quality and secondary diseases on grain, further reducing its profit potential. At the same time, a grower may see higher costs to harvest, dry, clean and store their grain – another hit to the bottom line.

Why do cereals lodge? There are two types of lodging that threaten cereal crops: root lodging and stem lodging. Here in Canada, stem lodging is usually to blame for a lodged crop.

Cereals may lodge for a number of reasons, including:

• Plant height at the centre of gravity
• Head size and weight
• Shoot density
• Stem thickness and width radius
• Stem strength
• Wind speed
• Natural frequency

The AgriFacts bulletin notes that when lodging occurs, several factors ultimately determine the magnitude of the resulting yield loss, including:

• Cultivar susceptibility to lodging
• Growth stage at the time lodging
• Severity of lodging
• Wind and rain events
• Early snowfall

What can be done about lodging? Plant growth regulators (PGRs) can be a useful tool in managing the development of a cereal crop to mitigate lodging.

For example, Moddus^® plant growth regulator is formulated with trinexapac-ethyl, an active ingredient that inhibits production of a plant hormone called gibberellic acid. Gibberellic acid stimulates rapid stem and root growth, so limiting the amount available to a growing cereal plant reduces stem elongation, resulting in thicker, stronger stems that mitigate the likelihood of lodging.

Photo captured in Red Deer, AB, in 2016.	Photo captured in Camrose, AB, in 2019.

With Moddus working to mitigate the threat of lodging, you have the freedom to manage your cereal crops the way you want – plant your preferred varieties, and choose the optimum fertility program, seeding rates and crop inputs to be better positioned to capture upsides from seasons with plentiful rainfall for maximum return on investment (ROI).

A Moddus application at BBCH 30-32 is ideal. Check out this blog post for tips on staging your cereals for a Moddus application.

Performance evaluations are based on internal trials, field observations and/or public information. Data from multiple locations and years should be consulted whenever possible. Individual results may vary depending on local growing, soil, and weather conditions. Always read and follow label directions.

While Moddus is registered on barley, it is recommended that growers growing barley for malt contact their maltster before making a Moddus application.