Seeding rates for small grains in Arizona

• Main Author: Ottman, Michael J.
• Language: en_US
• Published: College of Agriculture, University of Arizona (Tucson, AZ) 2015
• Subjects: emergence; depth; viability; variety
• Online Access: http://hdl.handle.net/10150/555995

Revised; Originally Published: 2004 === 3 pp. === Wheat and barley are the two major small grain crops in Arizona. These crops can produce yields near maximum at a wide range of seeding rates due to yield component compensation. Grain yield is determined by plants per unit area, tillers per plant, kernels per head, and kernel weight. At a low seeding rate, the plant will compensate for fewer plants per unit area by producing more tillers per plant and larger heads. At a high seeding rate, fewer tillers are produced compared to a low seeding rate, and the heads are smaller. Therefore, grain yields near maximum can be produced at a wide range of seeding rates if conditions are favorable (see Fig. 1). Weed control can be a problem at low seeding rates and lodging may be a problem at high seeding rates. The optimum seeding rate for small grains depends on a variety of factors which will be discussed