Effects of Plant Growth Regulator in Oats

By David Karki

What is a Plant Growth Regulator?

Hormones or plant growth regulating compounds are naturally produced by plants at different growth stages to regulate several growth and development functions, such as cell elongation, root growth, flowering, ripening, etc. Some major naturally occurring plant hormones are- auxins, gibberellins, cytokinins, ethylene and abscisic acid. Even the small changes in concentration of these compounds can have large effects on their functions in plants. Plant Growth Regulators, sometimes simply called PGRs, are human-applied chemicals that manipulate the hormone functions in plants.

Plant Growth Regulator on Oats

A newer PGR that has widely been used in recent years on cereal grain is Trinexapac-ethyl, which is marketed with the brand name Palisade (Syngenta, Trinexapac-ethyl 12%). The PGR Palisade interrupts the Gibberlic Acid (GA) function that naturally promotes cell division and elongation in plants, thus helping reduce plant height. Since oats are more prone to lodging compared to other small grains, PGR application can help prevent yield loss by reducing plant height and improving plant standability and harvestability.

TIMING AND DOSE

The Palisade product is labeled for all major cereal grains, such as wheat, barley, oats, triticale, rye and rice. It can also be used on grasses and sugarcane. The labelled rate for cereals is 10.5 to 14.4 fluid oz/ac. The growth stages for application on the label is Feekes Stage 4 (pseutostem elongation) to Feekes Stage 7 (2nd node visible). The rate can also be split within the stated growth stages without going beyond the maximum labelled rate of 14.4 oz/a (when both application rates are added).

With the goal of reducing height and lodging, SDSU Extension initiated field experiments in 2015, however, when applied at maximum rate at Feekes Growth Stage 4 to Feekes Growth Stage 5, we did not notice any height (or lodging differences). This led to a study conducted in 2017 and 2018 to evaluate the effects of dose and timing of Palisade on oats. During both years we used various rates of Palisade at different growth stages to study the ideal application timing and dose. Dose and timing variables used were 7.2 oz/a at Feekes 5, 6 and 7; 7.2 oz/a at Feekes 5 and Feekes 7; 10.5 oz/a at Feekes 5, 5 and 7; 10.5 oz/a at Feekes 5 and Feekes 7; and 21 oz/a at Feekes 5, 6 and 7. The experiment consisted of a ‘control’ treatment that did not receive any Palisade and other rate and growth stage treatments that were assigned in Randomized Complete Block (RCB) design with three replicates. Height, lodging, and yield notes from each year are shown in Table 1 below. NOTE: 21 oz/a is off-label and only used for experimental purposes.

Table 1. Effects of dose and timing of PGR Palisade on plant height and yield on oats grown near Garretson (2017) and
SDSU Southeast Research Farm near Beresford (2018), South Dakota.Data is sorted in descending order according to yield.
2017				2018
Crop Stage	Rate (Oz/a)	Height (in)	Yield (bu/a)	Crop Stage	Rate (oz/a)	Height (in)	Yield (bu/a)
F6	14.4	26	136	F7	7.2	42	116
F6	21	23	134	F7	14.4	38	111
F7	10.5	28	133	F5 and F7	7.2	36	110
F5	7.2	29	133	F7	14.4	37	109
Control	10.5	28	131	F6	N/A	40	109
F5 and F7	21	30	130	F5	7.2	36	108
F7	N/A	37	129	control	14.4	33	107
F5 and F7	10.5	31	129	F7	10.5	30	107
F7	7.2	27	126	F5 and F7	21	29	104
F7	7.5	36	124	F5	10.5	33	102
F5	10.5	35	122	F5	7.2	39	102
F6	21	21	122	F6	21	33	98
F6	14.4	26	121	F6	10.5	42	95
F5	7.2	33	118	F6	10.5	38	94
F5	14.4	34	110	F5	21	36	90
LSD (0.05)		5.8	NS	LSD (0.05)		4.6	12.5
C.V.		11.8	8.7	C.V.		7.5	7.2

F5, F6, F7= Feekes growth stages F5 (tillers strongly erect) F6 (first node visible), F7 (2nd node visible).
LSD 0.05= Least Significant Difference values for numbers in the same column to be statistically different;
NS= numbers in the same column are not statistically different at 0.05 probability level.

Conclusions

Both years were relatively warmer and drier. June 2017 and May 2018 were significantly warmer than usual. This caused plants to be shorter and resulted in no noticeable lodging.
PGR significantly reduced plant height in both years.
Although not strongly conclusive, applying PGR at the rate of 12 to 14 oz/a at Feekes Growth Stage 6 or when first node is visible just above the ground surface can have the maximum effects on oats height and lodging.

Source : sdstate.edu

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Agricultural Market Update: Grain Prices, Crop Conditions, and Weather Impacts

Welcome back to our channel where we provide comprehensive updates on the latest trends and changes in the agricultural sector. This week, we're looking at significant movements in grain prices, crop conditions, and the effects of weather patterns. Let's dive into the details:

Grain Price Decline Grain prices have fallen to their lowest levels since 2020, with December corn down 4.3% and November soybeans losing 3.1%. This decline is partly due to the beneficial moisture brought by Hurricane Beryl to the Midwest, which has improved crop conditions significantly. The USDA reported that corn and soybean crops are in their best condition in four years, contributing to the downward pressure on prices.

Record Short Positions and Market Sentiment Fund traders have increased their net short positions in the corn market to a record level, with a net short of 347,000 contracts of corn. This reflects a bearish sentiment in the market, further influencing grain price dynamics. Similar selling trends were observed in soybeans and SRW wheat, indicating broad market caution.

Weather Impact and Forecast Hurricane Beryl has brought significant rainfall across Arkansas, Missouri, western Tennessee, western Kentucky, and southern Illinois, with more expected over Missouri, Illinois, and Indiana in the coming days. Despite this, the market is currently more focused on the moisture benefits rather than potential heat risks forecasted in the 6-10 and 8-14 day periods.

US Crop Conditions Corn and soybean conditions have shown slight improvements last week, with corn rated 68% good to excellent and soybeans at 68%. These are among the best ratings for this time of year since 2020, suggesting robust crop health that could continue to influence grain prices.

Winter Wheat Harvest and Spring Wheat Conditions The US winter wheat harvest is progressing well, ahead of schedule with significant portions already harvested in Kansas and Texas. Spring wheat conditions are also favorable, with 75% rated good to excellent, although there have been some declines in states like Idaho, South Dakota, and Washington. Brazil's Corn Harvest and US Exports Brazil's second corn crop harvest is advancing rapidly due to favorable hot and dry conditions, with 63% of the crop already harvested. Meanwhile, US corn shipments saw a substantial increase last week, indicating strong export demand, which contrasts with the recent drop in domestic grain prices.

Ongoing Developments Lastly, the USDA reported a flash sale of corn, with significant quantities sold to unknown destinations, scheduled for delivery over the next two marketing years. This could signal ongoing international demand for US corn despite lower prices.

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