USA, Lexington Kentucky - October 19th, 2009 (Joe Omielan) - Project Update
As mentioned in the May update, we will be “simulating” the effects of SBR. To accomplish this we will be defoliating plots over the course of the season to reduce their Effective Leaf Area Index (ELAI) as a percentage of the control plots. These reductions over time will “match” what was found in our 2007 Brazil trial when SBR started at R1 and at R5 (see the graph below). The yield reductions in this experiment will be compared to the Brazil trial.
Reductions in % of Control ELAI in plots when SBR started at R1 or R5. Data from 2006/2007 trial at Londrina, Brazil.
It was a cool, wet start to the growing season but we had good stand establishment.
After we flagged the areas of the plots for measuring LAI and our defoliation areas, it made for a colorful display.
Department of Plant and Soil Sciences, University of Kentucky 