Crop Structure and Development
This guide outlines the essential structures and developmental stages of small grain crops in Montana, focusing on roots, culms, leaves, and heads. It details the role of seminal and crown roots, the importance of leaves for photosynthesis, and the critical growth phases including germination, tillering, jointing, heading, and flowering. Understanding the growth degree days, tillering factors, and how environmental conditions influence development is key for successful grain production. This resource is vital for farmers and agronomists in optimizing crop yields.
Crop Structure and Development
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Presentation Transcript
Crop Structure and Development Montana Small Grain Guide
Crop Structure • Roots: anchor plant, absorb water & nutrients • Seminal Roots: first to emerge from embryo, function throughout plant life • can have 3 to 6 seminal roots • Crown roots: originate from lower node of the main stem and tillers • each tiller has crown roots
Crop Structure • Culms (stems): support for leaves and heads • one culm, plus additional tillers • divided into nodes and internodes • Leaves: photosynthesis • each node produces one leaf • Sheath: part of leaf wrapped around the stem • Blade: visible part of leaf
Crop Structure • Collar: thickened part where blade joins collar • Ligule: protective tissue within sheath at the collar area • Auricles: appendages at the base of the leaf blade • Presence, size and shape of Ligules and Auricles used in plant identification
Crop Structure • Flag Leaf: top leaf, stays green longest, may account for 80% of the filling of the grain • Heads: where seed is produced Wheat Head has several spikelets that contain 2-6 florets (usually only 2-3 produce seed) Barley Head has 3 spikelets 6-row barley: each spikelet has one fertile floret 2-row barley: only center spikelet has a fertile floret
Crop Development • Growing Degree Days: average of minimum and maximum daily temps. Minus base temp (37 deg. F) • ex: temps = 40 and 58 • avg. = 98 / 2 = 49 • 49 - 37 = 12 GDD • Emergence usually 50% complete at 85-100 GDD
Crop Development • Tillering begins at the 3 leaf stage • Ideal conditions, new tillers formed at the formation of each new leaf after 3 leaf stage • Stress will cause plant to skip some tillers • Germination: 35 - 40% soil moisture • min temp 34-36 degrees • optimum temp 59-65 degrees • max temp 95-104 degrees
Tillering • May start 7 days after emergence • Factors affecting tillering: large seed size, high soil fertility, physical condition of soil, optimum soil temp, optimum water content, relatively low density of plants • 2-6 tillers per plant common • Tillering stage lasts about 4 weeks
Jointing Stage • Follows tillering, rapid growth period (boot stage, shooting) • stems and leaf sheaths elongate rapidly • Lowest internode lengthens first followed by next highest etc.
Heading • “Boot” as the head grows, it enlarges the sheath of the flag leaf • Main stem develops first, followed by tillers in order of origin • Uppermost stem continues to lengthen until head is above flag leaf • Flowering begins a few days after head emerges • Ripening 25-40 days