Lodging-resistance of spring barley as affected by hydrothermal parameters and plant density at early shooting stage
This article reports on a field trial conducted at the Research and Practical Center of National Academy of Sciences of the Republic of Belarus for Arable Farming in 1997-2021. Lodging-resistance of spring barley varieties Gonar, Yakub, Vodar, Syabra, Mustang, Reyder, Magutny and Fest developed by the Research and Practical Center of National Academy of Sciences of the Republic of Belarus for Arable Farming was tested as affected by plant density and hydrothermal parameters at the tillering-early shooting stage. Lodging-resistance scale was developed to take in account the effectiveness of growth regulators at different growth stages (starting with the shooting time). Precipitation rates in May directly affected tillering intensity (r=0.520). Significant correlation was observed between barley lodging in the maturation period and shoot number at early shooting stage (r=0.862). Under relatively high determination coefficient (0.319 and 0.389) significant correlations between the precipitation rates in May-June and lodging amounted to r=0.541 and r=0.624, respectively. Application of growth retardants could be effective on any variety if over 800 shoots per 1 m<sup>2 </sup>were formed by the end of the tillering stage. The developed nine-point lodging scale enabled accurate prediction of barley lodging to select effective time for growth regulator treatment.