How to maintain barley leaf canopy longer
To achieve high barley yields, having established the correct canopy structure, it is important to maintain the green leaf area right through to the final grain filling period, capturing as much of the incident light as possible and converting it to yield
Nitrogen directly affects leaf chlorophyll content
The nutrients nitrogen, potassium and magnesium are of particular importance in maintaining a green leaf canopy.
Chlorophyll is a nitrogen and magnesium rich protein that gives the plant its green colour and is central to efficient photosynthesis. The relationship between leaf chlorophyll content and nitrogen is well proven with more chlorophyll as the leaf percentage of nitrogen increases.
Magnesium helps keep the leaf canopy greener for longer
Magnesium is the central component of chlorophyll linked to four nitrogen molecules. The magnesium level is also therefore important in maintaining the green leaf canopy.
Potassium maintains straw stiffness and reduces lodging
As well as the canopy greenness, it is also important to ensure that the structure and architecture is maintained further improving the efficiency of the crop to capture light and convert it to yield. The more, larger cells produced by the nitrogen means more water in the plant which then requires more potassium. Potassium plays a very important role in maintaining cell turgidity and strength as well as nutrient movement around the plant. Inadequate supplies of potassium can lead to premature wilting and a lodged canopy. Straw deficient in potassium is more brittle increasing the risk of lodging / brackling that dramatically reduces both yield and quality.
Related articles
How to increase barley tiller numbers
The number of tillers, leaves and shoots determines the size of the canopy and the final ear density at harvest. This ear density will be dependent on the total number of shoots produced and how many of these are fertile and survive.
How to increase barley grain numbers
The number of grains in each ear of barley depends on the number of fertile spikelets on the central stem of the ear. Crop management, particularly nutrition, can significantly influence the number of grains per ear.
How to increase barley grain size
Barley grain size is strongly influenced by plant nutrition particularly during the important grain filling period. Nitrogen, sulphur, boron, copper, manganese and zinc are particularly important.
Identify and diagnose barley nutrient deficiencies
Identify and diagnose if your barley is suffering from nutrient deficiencies and learn more about the symptoms and causes and how to control or correct the deficiency
Barley crop nutrition programmes
Yara's fertiliser recommendations and crop nutrition programmes for barley can help you to achieve excellent crop performance and maximise the yield and quality of all barley crops.
Recommended Yara fertilisers for barley
How correct nutrient management can affect your barley
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