Straw shortener question.

[Sid]

Read in a thread about straw shorter, which I am guessing is a spray, logic tells me it prevents lodging, but does it decrease straw yield drastically or just make the straw thicker and shorter?
TIA

 

[Rob Holmes]

It increases the amount of straw by reducing the dominance of main stem and encouraging tillering, hence more grain and more straw

 

[Sid]

Thank you.

So similar to the old fashion light grazing with sheep.

Out of interest what GS would you use it? Guess not the same time as grazing with sheep.

 

[Rob Holmes]

Split it between T0 and T1 (normally 0.1-0.15 l/ha Moddus & 0.75-1l/ha CCC)

 

[Sid]

Split it between T0 and T1 (normally 0.1-0.15 l/ha Moddus & 0.75-1l/ha CCC)

Thanks, heard of T0 and T1 guess they are spray timings not growth stages?.

 

[Flat 10]

Yes. You can apply PGR from tillering to ears emerged. CCC (one of the oldest and cheapest products) costs something like £2/ha so is really really cheap insurance.

 

[Brisel]

Read in a thread about straw shorter, which I am guessing is a spray, logic tells me it prevents lodging, but does it decrease straw yield drastically or just make the straw thicker and shorter?
TIA

Different plant growth regulators work in different ways. As a general rule, yes, they shorten straw length. Not so sure they actually increase straw yield, only by reducing lodging. All pgrs reduce yield in the absence of lodging as you're stressing the plant into certain behaviour.

The best spray timing for pgrs is during early stem extension GS 30 - 33. The best tool for managing straw is nitrogen fertiliser. The T timings you'll hear us non organic growers refer to are generally leaf emergence timings. T0 is leaf 4 emerged, T1 leaf 3, T2 flag leaf and T3 is early to mid flowering. These may coincide with certain Zadoks growth stages but not always.

 

[teslacoils]

Cereal PGRs

Cereal plant growth regulators (PGRs) are likened to an insurance policy for your crop, reducing the risk of lodging and yield, quality

www.agricentre.basf.co.uk

This is quite informative on how different chems work. If soils allow, a good rolling has a strong effect.

 

[bankrupt]

It increases the amount of straw by reducing the dominance of main stem and encouraging tillering, hence more grain and more straw

This can happen, and sometimes does, with an early pgr.

All pgrs reduce yield in the absence of lodging as you're stressing the plant

This can happen, and often does, with the later pgrs (particularly anything with ethephon in it).


As to increasing the amount of straw, one result here last year was a timely Medax-Max on Eagle oats which added 11 round bales/acre, compared to the unharvested (and unharvestable) bit missed.

Obviously, however, the total amount of straw produced was much reduced.

 

[Sid]

Thankyou all