The Relative Ripening Rate of the Grain and Straw of Ten Varieties Of
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The relative ripening rate of the grain and straw of ten varieties of oats by Frank C Petr A THESIS Submitted to the Graduate Faculty in partial fulfillment of the requirements for the degree of Master of Science in Agronomy Montana State University © Copyright by Frank C Petr (1952) Abstract: Ten varieties of oats were compared for rapidity of dessication of the straw following maturity of the grain at Bozeman in 1951. Moisture content of the grain and straw was determined at nine consecutive 3-day intervals commencing 30 days after the heading date of each variety. The oat varieties were assigned maturity ratings of early, midearly, midseason, midlate, and late on the basis of heading date. The moisture content of the straw decreased slowly at successive stages and remained relatively high for all varieties throughout the experiment. No significantr differences in straw moisture at the final harvest were evident between varieties. The moisture content of the grain receded rapidly in all the varieties during the first four 3-day intervals. During the 24 days between the first and final harvest of each variety the grain moisture decreased from an average of 43.2 percent to 17.0 percent. The developmental period of the kernel apparently was shorter in Maganski 044 than in the other varieties in the test as indicated by the tendency of the grain to start dessicating in a shorter time after heading. Differential shattering resulting from hail was observed. Mission and Aberystwyth S84 were most resistant. Mission apparently derived its shatter resistance from its Markton parent, which was. observed to have such resistance by another investigator, Late tiller counts were made days after heading. Early Varieties produced significantly more tillers than the late varieties. However, varieties with a tendency to produce late tillers did not differ in straw moisture content. Significant differences in height of the varieties were also noted, but had no apparent effect on the ripening characteristics of the straw. THE RELATIVE RIPENING RATE OF THE GRAIN AND STRAW OF TEN VARIETIES OF OATS b y FRANK C0 PETR ■ A THESIS Submitted to the Graduate Faculty i n partial fulfillm ent of the requirements for the. degree of Master of Science in Agronomy • a t Montana State College A pproveds Headp Major Department C hairm an5 Examining.Committee Bozeman5 M ontana September^ 195’2 — 2 — ACKNOWLEDGEMENTS The w riter wishes to acknowledge the assistance given hjjn by- Mr* R. F. Eslick. His advice and encouragement throughout the course of the study are gratefully appreciated. The w riter also wishes to thank Dr. A. H. Post, Dr. E. R. Hehn, and other persons who contributed time and advice. 1 0 3 3 2 9 3 TABLE OF CONTENTS Page LISTING OF TABLES . ' . eeeeoeeeeeeeooeee e eeooeoe k LISTING OF FIGURES© eoooeoeeeeooeoceeeeeoeeeee APPENDIX TABLES ©©@#©©©©@©0 « ©©©©©©©©©©© © © © © © 5' ABSTRACT *meoo©o**©©c©©©@ *©a*o*o©*e©©a©©© 6 INTRODUCTION© •■©©©©© • • ©«©.•© ©» ©©©©©© © ©©©© ©©© rJ LITERATURE REVIEW ©©*©@*©*©e*o©*©©»9 o#©©© ©©©© ^ MATERIALS AMD METHODS ©©©©©©d***©©©©©©©©©©*©©©© EXPERIMENTAL RESULTS© © ©o««o©©© ©©e©©©©*©©©©©© © @ 20 DISCUSSION© *© *4©«©,© * © 09 0 e © © 0 0 0 0 e 90 0 0 0 0 oe 00 0 0 3G SUMMARY AND CONCLUSIONS © © © * . © © © , » © © © © . © * © © .......................33 LITERATURE CITED© **00*00*0©*© © © * ©o©*©****©** 3^ *=» ii » LIST OF TABLES Page T ab le I . Source, maturity, rating and principle area of production or development of the varieties and selections included in th e o a t r ip e n in g e x p e rim e n t a t Bozeman3 195>1. ...... 16 T ab le I I . Moisture content of the grain of ten varieties of oats at nine successive 3~day intervals at Bdzeman3 1951-. .... 21 ■ f . • . • ' T ab le I I L Moisture content of the straw of ten, varieties of oats at nine successive 3-day intervals at Bozeman3' 1951 . 21 T ab le IV. Analysis of variance of straw moisture percentages at the ninth harvest Of the ripening experiment ..........22 T ab le V. Reductions in oat yields resulting from hail on August 23, 1951 a t Bo zemhn. * . 25 T ab le V I. Number of late tillers in four feet dt row in 10 varieties of oats 5-1 days after heading. ............... 26 T ab le VIL Analysis of variance of number of late tillers in four feet of row in 10 varieties of.oats 5l days aftet heading . 27 i ( ' ' Table VIII. Test weights of ten varieties of oats at nine consecutive 3-day intervals commencing 30 days after heading ...... 27 .Table IX. Heights of the ten varieties of oats included in the oat ripening experiment at Bozeman3 1951 ... ........ = 2 8 ' T ab le X. Analysis of variance of heights of ten varieties of oats included in the ripening experiment. ..... 29 LIST OF FIGURES Pafee Figure 1«, Moisture content of the grain and straw, of Reselect Glmton and Gopher Oats 0 00 0 * 0 0 0 0000 0 @ » » » ® . 23 Figure 2«, Moisture content of the grain and straw of the three late varieties of oats C 0 0 0 0 0 0 00 0 00 0 0 0 00 0© 23 F ig u re 3= Moisture content of the grain and straw in two midlate varieties of oats 0 0 0000 0000 # 0 » « c 000 0 0 0© 2U F ig u re Ue Moisture content of the grain and straw in three midseason varieties of oats 0 0 OO0 o0 000 0, 0 * 0 0 0 0 00 0 00 2U APPENDIX TABLES T ab le „I» Summary of monthly temperature and precipitation5 May to September inclusive, Bozeman5 1951 • 0 *..0 00 0 0 0 0 -0 » ©37 T ab le I I 0. Harvest dates for successive stages of ripening of the varieties used in the oat ripening experiments at Bozeman5 1 9 5 1 c c c c e e -ei»T0 -0"0 "0'0 -0~0 -*0 0 o * * ® * * * © © © © 37 = 6 ABSTRACT ■Ten. .v.ar.ietiea...oi,...o.ats_wera....cQmpared„i,.Qr ..rap.idi± 3n-of- dessieation of the straw follpwtng..maturity...of....the.,grain,at—B o z e m a n .- . Moisture content o f .th^a..grain...and.-stEaw...was..-de±.erniined._at..nina...consac.u.tive 3-day in terv als commencing.3Q...4ays_.affen...the....heading.-dat.e..Qf...each, varnety. The oat v arie- t lea ._wene._aaslgned_.matnrity._natings- of. ..early^..Jnidearly5. midseason s m id la te 3 and, lata..on_th.e_.basis..of. heading., date. Ihe_.mis±ure...-content...of.....the.-S.traw...de.creaae.d_.slowly. .at. successive stagaa..and.remained. _relatively..high_for_.all_varietie.s. throughout., the ex perim ents. Mo. S-ignificant_dif f erenc.asL-in..atraM. jnolsiure,,at ...the-f.inal..tarve st were evidenh-he.tween, variettea........The...mois.tur.e..contentepf the. grain... receded. rapidly-.tn..all....the..varte.tie.s..during.._the._£ir.st„.fo.ur..3^day in te rv a ls,'1 During the . 2i;...days...between...the..firsthand..final..har.ve.at...of..-each'' v ariety the grain ' m o is tu re , .d ecreased...fro m ...an._average..o£: ^ 3*2 p e r c e n t to 17«0 p e r c e n t s .The de.velo.pmental.-.period...Qf-the...icemel. apparently..waa.aho..rter in. Maganski OiiU than in the. .other..varieties..dn...the....tea t .as vindicated..by the tendency of the grain to• start dessicating- in a shorteri' ' / * time after heading,. — — . 1 i""'' ~ ’ ‘~r D ifferential shattering, re suiting. fLrom...hai.l .was..nbs.e.rved,. M ission and Aberystwyth S8U were most resistant. Mission’.apparently derived its shatter, resistance from its Marktdn ..parent_5i.whlch .was. pliseryed to have such resistance by another investigator, • Late' tille r, counts Were made ^l days after heading,- Early Varieties produced significantly more tillers, than..the_.late..varieties. Hpwever5 -varieties with a tendency. to .pr.oduce_.late-.tiller.s....did. no t d iffer in straw m oisture content,. ,Sigpif.ic.ant....diC.fe.rence.s..,in..height.3f the v arieties "were also, noted,,. .but.Jiad;no".apparent.-effec.t-..on_ th.e...ripenin|:,.characteristics of th e s tr a w . ca 7 ra INTRODUCTION In the production of oats9 as compared to wheat and barleys con siderably greater losses result when the grain is left standing until it reaches a stage suitable for combine harvest» To a large extent3 these losses can be attributed to shattering after the grain is mature and low enough in moisture content for satisfactory storage but with the straw too green for successful combining,, It has been observed that drying of the culms and leaves of wheat and barley generally proceeds simultaneously with the ripening of the grain while.in oats9 the grain and straw tend to react independently in this respect or9 at least9 the rate of dessication is much slower for the vege tative portions than for the grain,, Various environmental factors have been cited as affecting ripening of oats and other crops (9)1/ Therefore9 it would appear desirable to develop varieties of oats that ripen due to some internal stim ulus' inherent in the plant and operating with little or no regard to external Conditions0 This property appears to be present to some extent in common wheat and certain other crops in which definite ripening, occurs even during periods when clim atic conditions are not considered favorable for ripening to take p l a c e , ' The object of this investigation was to determine the relationship of ■ grain and straw moisture as the grain approaches maturity,, and to invest!- = 8 = gate possible varietal differences in straw dissipation which could be utilized in the development of oats with the qualities necessary to over= come this harvest problem.