Effects of plant growth regulator applications on malting barley in western Canada

Abstract

Malting barley is important in western Canada, yet many malting cultivars do not meet malt quality standards, in part due to lodging. Lodging can decrease barley yield and quality thereby reducing the acceptability for malting. In other countries, plant growth regulator (PGR) applications are used to mitigate lodging. Chlormequat chloride (chlormequat), trinexapac-ethyl (trinexapac), and ethephon were tested at five locations over 3 yr in western Canada for their ability to limit lodging, as well as their effects on yield, agronomic traits, and pre-malt quality characteristics. PGR applications occurred between Zadoks growth stage (GS) 30–33 for chlormequat and trinexapac and GS 37–49 for ethephon. Seeding rates of 200, 300, and 400 seeds m−2 of CDC Copeland barley were used to increase the likelihood of lodging. Increased seeding rate decreased tillers per plant, height, days to maturity, kernel protein, and kernel weight. Ethephon increased the number of tillers per plant and decreased plant height, kernel plumpness, and kernel weight. Trinexapac decreased plant height and kernel weight. Days to maturity was investigated across site-years, with ethephon increasing maturity in 60% of comparisons. Trinexapac and chlormequat had limited effects on maturity. Lodging was investigated across site-years, with trinexapac showing the largest number of lodging reductions and scale of reductions. Ethephon reduced lodging in 36% of comparisons, while chlormequat had inconsistent effects. None of the products affected yield or grain protein. The results suggest PGRs may not be the solution to lodging for CDC Copeland barley on the Canadian Prairies; however, trinexapac shows the most promise of the products tested.