By Delbert G. Voight
There are really two choices for wheat and barley to manage the potential for lodging. The key is to know your variety. If it is prone to lodging one may then need to manage this potential with a plant growth regulator (PGR). If lower N rates and the variety is not prone to lodging then this is not needed to manage. Another key is to
know the growth stage of your small grain.
Do PGR’s work? Yes if applied at the correct rate and timing. Expect about a 2 inch or so shortening the internodes from some of the research I have seen in the field. Below, I have highlighted management considerations for two different products.
Palisade Specifics (From Label) - PPE Warning
Rate of application – 10.5 – 14.4 Ounce per acre
Single application: Apply Palisade EC from Feekes growth stage 4 (pseudostem erection) through Feekes growth stage 7 (node formation). Apply before Feekes 8 (when the last leaf is visible).
Split application: Make the first application at Feekes 4-5 and a second application at Feekes 7. Apply no more than 14.4 fl oz/A total.
Split application in barley: Make the first application at Feekes 4-6 and a second application at Feekes 7-8.
Use the higher rate when 1) varieties are prone to lodging, or 2) the crop is intensively managed.
Application:
For best coverage and uptake, use a minimum of 10 gallons of water/acre. Palisade EC may be mixed in a spray solution containing up to 50% liquid nitrogen fertilizer.
Specific Use Restrictions:
- Do not apply if crop is stressed by drought, disease, or temperatures.
- Do not apply more than 14.4 fl oz (0.11 lb ai) Palisade EC/A/year.
- Palisade EC may be applied until 45 days prior to harvest (45-day PHI).
CERONE brand Ethephon Plant Regulator (From Label) - PPE Danger
Do not use CERONE as a tank mixture with insecticides or fungicides on crops stressed by adverse weather conditions, referenced above, or by insect or disease damage.
- Crop injury or yield loss may result with tank mix application under stress conditions. (i.e., moisture, heat, cold, insect, disease).
- CERONE + Tilt® tank mix application by air made under stress conditions may result in flag leaf burn and yield loss.
- Do not tank mix with herbicides or nitrogen solutions.
- Do not add adjuvants, surfactants, or wetting agents to CERONE brand Ethephon Plant Regulator.
Application Timing:
Apply when the flag leaf is just visible to boot stage, but before the awns have emerged or the sheath has split (Feekes—Large Scale 8–10, Zadok’s Code 37–45). Do not allow spray solution to contact exposed heads, as damage and reduced yield may result. Inspect fields carefully to determine that application can be made at the proper stage.
Application:
- For CERONE brand Ethephon Plant Regulator to be effective, temperature after application should be at least 60°F.
- Avoid spray overlap which can result in excess rate and yield loss.
- Ground: Use a minimum of 7 gallons of water per acre when applied by conventional ground equipment. Flat fan nozzles are recommended. Use a minimum of 5 gallons of water per acre with controlled droplet application (CDA) or air foil type equipment. To prevent uneven application, adjust spray boom to plant canopy height and operate at moderate speed.
- Air: Use a minimum of 3 gallons of water per acre.
Use Rates:
Lodging pressure and environmental conditions will affect the CERONE brand Ethephon Plant Regulator rate needed. On more responsive varieties, use only the 0.5 pint per acre rate.
Source : psu.edu