The effect of the morphological properties of the ear on the susceptibility of winter wheat to sprouting in the ear

Authors

• Eero Varis Plant Breeding Institute of Hankkija, Experimental Farm Anttila
• Matti Manneri Plant Breeding Institute of Hankkija, Experimental Farm Anttila

DOI: https://doi.org/10.23986/afsci.71594

Abstract

In studying the susceptibility of winter wheat to sprouting in the ear attention was paid at the Experimental Farm of the Plant Breeding Institute of Hankkija to the importance of the ear type. This was done by using two methods parallelly: HÄNSEL’s sandbed method, which shows the genetic susceptibility of the varieties; and the »nature method» which elicits the effect of ear type. The results led to the following conclusions: Both methods gave similar results, indicating that the differences in genetic susceptibility to sprouting in the ear (between the varieties) are so great that they emerged by both methods used. The classification of the material into four groups, hairy erect, hairy nutant, bald erect and bald nutant, showed that the ear type has its own importance as a factor reducing sprouting. The bald ear was found to be better than the hairy and the nutant superior to the erect ear. The disadvantage of hairy ears is obviously connected with their greater water-retaining capacity. Owing to this they germinate more readily, especially in conditions in which the water capacity of the ears is only occasionally optimal for sprouting as is often the case in the field during the ripening period when the weather keeps changing.