Wind and Sandblast Injury to Field Crops: Effect of Plant Age
1984
Armbrust, D. V.
Most plant sandblast studies have been conducted with plants at only one age, which bas varied from 3 to 21 days after emergence, depending on the plant species. This study was designed to determine if age of plants exposed to sandblast injury influences severity of damage. Plants of ‘RS-626’ grain sorghum [Sorghum bicolor (L.) Moench.], ‘Williams’ soybean [‘Glycine max’ (L.) Merr.], and ‘Parker’ winter wheat (Triticum aestivum L.) were exposed in a wind tunnel to a wind velocity of 13.4 m/s for 80 min and wind plus sand (0.297 to 0.42 mm diam) for 10, 20, 40, and 80 min at 3, 7, 14, 21, and 28 days after emergence and vernalization. Maximum reduction in dry weight measured 14 days after exposure and delay in appearance of first inflorescence or bloom occurred when plants were exposed 7 to 14 days after emergence, except for winter wheat exposed after vernalization where dry weight was not affected and inflorescence delay was greatest when exposed 21 days after vernalization. Spike weight and number in winter wheat were not affected by fall exposure but were reduced by exposures which occurred 2 to 4 weeks prior to spike emergence. The results indicate the need for cultural practices which will control wind erosion throughout the growing season for maximum crop yields.
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