Lodging stress in cereal-effects and management: an overview

Area of Science:

• Agricultural Science
• Plant Science
• Agronomy

Background:

• Lodging, the irreversible bending or breaking of cereal stalks, is a significant agricultural problem exacerbated by climatic uncertainty.
• This phenomenon leads to substantial crop yield reduction, necessitating a deeper understanding of its causes and mitigation strategies.

Purpose of the Study:

• To synthesize current knowledge on the impacts of lodging on cereal growth and yield.
• To identify key factors triggering lodging and discuss plant traits influencing lodging resistance.
• To provide a comprehensive overview of management strategies for controlling lodging in cereals.

Main Methods:

• Review of existing scientific literature on cereal lodging.
• Analysis of morphological, anatomical, and biochemical traits correlated with lodging resistance.
• Synthesis of agronomic management approaches to reduce lodging risk.

Main Results:

• Lodging significantly impacts cereal growth and yield, with specific factors exacerbating its detrimental effects.
• Certain plant traits demonstrate a strong correlation with enhanced lodging resistance in cereals.
• Various agronomic practices, including seeding rate, sowing time, tillage, crop rotation, and fertilizer management, can effectively reduce lodging risk.

Conclusions:

• A comprehensive understanding of lodging-induced adversities and resistance mechanisms is essential for cereal production.
• Management strategies should consider cereal type and genotype, integrating agronomic approaches for effective lodging control.
• Further research and application of these findings can help mitigate yield losses caused by lodging.