Growth stage pictures of Merit 2-row Barley and Whitebird Soft White Spring Wheat for the week of 5/17/99.

The barley this week is showing nearly complete development.   The adventitious roots (arising from the crown) that last week were visible as developing buds are now about ¾ inch long. This root system will gradually become the dominant root system that supplies the plant with water and nutrients. The developing head in the main stem is just barely visible to the naked eye when the plant is dissected. Heads are also developing on tillers but are not yet visible. Maximum head size is being determined and set at this stage of growth. Plant emergence was just 31 days ago.

The wheat is fully one leaf (phyllochron is the term used to describe the interval between appearance of successive leaves) behind the barley.

Growing degree days for week of 5/10 - 5/16 = 74  
Accumulated growing degree days (emergence to 5/16) = 434.5

Merit 2-row Barley

Merit: 2-row spring barley.  Picture taken 5/17/99 at tillering (5  main stem leaves, 3 main stem tillers, and coleoptilar tiller (T0) ).   Zadoks scale: 23, Feekes scale: 2, Haun scale: 5.4.  The T0 tiller has 2 fully developed leaves and the third is over ½ the length of T0 leaf two. A secondary tiller is also developing from the T0. On the main stem, leaf 6 is visible and about 0.4 the length of leaf 5. Tiller 1 has 2 fully developed leaves and the third is about ½ the length of T1(tiller 1) leaf 2. A secondary tiller is also developing from tiller 1. Tiller 2 (arising from the axil of leaf two) is also developing and the second leaf is almost fully developed.

 

 

Whitebird Soft White Spring Wheat

 

 

Whitebird: soft white spring wheat..  Picture taken 5/17/99 at tillering (4 main stem leaves and 2 tillers).  Zadoks scale: 21, Feekes scale: 2, Haun scale: 3.3.  This plant has a developed T0 tiller, tiller 1 and tiller 2. The main stem has 4 fully developed leaves and the 5th leaf is about 0.3 as long as leaf 4. The heads in the wheat plant are also developing and are slightly behind that of the barley. The adventitious roots are developing and are just visible in the photograph.

Neither wheat nor barley has started to joint at this time. They soon will be starting a very rapid growth stage and will need unlimited supplies of water and nutrients to maintain the yield potential that is currently being set. Producers should do everything possible to minimize any stresses during this period. For comparison, a developing head from winter wheat is shown adjacent to a dime (shown below). The winter wheat had 4 detectable nodes at this stage.

Developing winter wheat head at jointing stage (4 detectable nodes).   Picture taken 5/17/99.

 

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