Long and Short-Day Plants: The Significance of Photoperiodicity
Photoperiodicity refers to the response of plants to the relative lengths of day and night, which regulates their growth and flowering. It is an important factor in agriculture as it allows growers to optimize crop yields and quality by understanding and manipulating the photoperiod requirements of different plant species. In terms of photoperiodicity, plants can be divided into long-day and short-day plants. ■ Long-day Plant For example, wheat is a long-day plant, meaning it requires extended periods of daylight (typically…
Understanding Autotrophic and Heterotrophic Respiration in Crop Science: Importance and Impact
Understanding the difference between autotrophic and heterotrophic respiration is crucial in crop science. These processes play a vital role in the carbon cycle and have significant implications for carbon emissions, climate change, and sustainable agriculture. 1. Autotrophic Respiration Autotrophic respiration is the process by which plants convert the carbohydrates produced during photosynthesis into energy. This energy is used for growth, maintenance, and reproduction. There are three main types of autotrophic respiration: During autotrophic respiration, plants release carbon dioxide back into…
[Crop Note] Soybean harvest (10 Oct 2023) at Champaign in IL, USA
The soybean harvesting phase usually commences when the soybean plants have achieved complete maturity, and the beans are primed for collection. The precise timing of the harvest may fluctuate, contingent on variables such as the soybean variety, environmental conditions, and geographical region. Nevertheless, there are common indicators to observe: ■ Pod Color: The first indicator of soybean maturity is the color of the pods. As the soybeans mature, the green pods turn yellow or brown, and they may start to…
Solar Farm 2.0 SCAPES Crops Research
This is one of the research projects called ‘Agrivoltaic’ in which I’m currently involved. Ideally, ground-level solar panels help keep the soil moist, while also keeping the crops cool during the day and warm at night. In turn, the plants assist the panels in transferring water from the soil into the atmosphere. The plants keep the panels cool—and efficient—during the day, resulting in more energy production. However, crops underneath solar panels could have a confounding effect due to shading. Shading…
Understanding Source-Sink Dynamics in Wheat
Wheat is generally known as sink-limitation during the grain-filling period. First, let’s explore the definition of source-sink limitation. The source-sink relationship and the regulation of carbon allocation are determining factors in crop yield. The growth of crops can be restricted by the assimilate availability in specific crop organs or by the ability of those organs to utilize assimilates. In the former case, we refer to it as source-limitation, and in the latter case, it is known as sink-limitation. The causes…
Quantifying Phenotypic Plasticity of Crops
Phenotypic plasticity refers to the ability of an individual organism, in this case, a plant, to display varying phenotypic traits or characteristics in response to different environmental conditions. These traits can include physical features, physiological processes, and behaviors. Phenotypic plasticity is a crucial adaptive mechanism that allows organisms to optimize their survival and reproduction in varying environments. Crops are particularly reliant on phenotypic plasticity to cope with changes in factors such as light, temperature, moisture, nutrient availability, and other environmental…
A Comprehensive Guide to Converting ppm to Practical Units with a Portable Gas Analyzer (Gasmet)
In my previous post, I discussed nitrous oxide (N2O) emissions in crop fields. Today, I’ll explain how to convert nitrous Oxide (N2O) emissions from ppm to kg ha-1. □ Investigating Patterns of Nitrous Oxide Emissions in Corn Agriculture If you measure N2O (ppm) using a ‘Gasmet,’ a portable gas analyzer (https://www.gasmet.com/products/category/portable-gas-analyzers/), you’ll ultimately obtain CO2 and N2O data like the one shown below (Of course, we can also obtain data for CH4 and NH3 using the Gasmet, but in this…
[Crop Note] current corn stage (03 Aug 2023) at Champaign in IL, USA
The current corn growing stage in Champaign areas is R3, called the milky stage. After 18 – 20 days from the R1 stage, the kernels become mostly yellow and contain “milky” white fluid (i.e., starch accumulates). However, the moisture content of the kernel at R3 is around 80%. Starch accumulation continuously occurs in the endosperm, and cell division of the endosperm is almost complete, indicating that the growth of kernels since R3 would be mostly due to cell expansion and…
Hemp Research Open Day, University of Illinois Urban-Champaign
Currently, I am involved in hemp seed production, specifically focusing on open-pollinated seed production. We have selected certain plots for donor pollens, and apart from these, I am diligently removing all male plants. Concurrently, I am studying hemp, a subject I hadn’t previously encountered. Earlier, I uploaded a post about how to distinguish between male and female hemp flowers. □ How to distinguish male and female flowers of hemp (Cannabis sativa)? Last week I joined “Hemp Research Open House” held…
Investigating Patterns of Nitrous Oxide Emissions in Corn Agriculture
Nitrous oxide (N2O) emissions in agriculture primarily come from the microbial processes of nitrification and denitrification in the soil, and they’re strongly influenced by nitrogen management practices, particularly the use of nitrogen fertilizers. □ Why Crops Cannot Directly Utilize Atmospheric Nitrogen (feat. Nitrogen Cycling in Soil)? ■ Nitrification: The microbial process in which ammonium (NH4+), a form of nitrogen that’s often applied as fertilizer, is converted into nitrate (NO3-). This process can result in the production of nitrous oxide as…
[Crop Note] current corn stage (17 July 2023) at Champaign in IL, USA
Now, the current growing stage is R1, and most of the fertilization is finished. Silks change color and become brown. Silks begin to elongate around the V12 stage. It starts from the ovules near the base of the corn cob and then develops sequentially from the base to the top. Silking of the tip ovules is the last to develop, indicating that the silks from the base of the cob would emerge first from the husk leaves. In other words,…
[Crop Note] current corn stage (03 July 2023) at Champaign in IL, USA
On this very hot day, I took part in sampling greenhouse gas (GHG) emissions in a corn field. The corn plants are currently in a growth stage between V11 and V12. Today marks 68 days since the planting date. Typically, after 6 weeks from emergence, corn is known to be in the V12 stage. However, variations can occur due to weather conditions, varieties, and other environmental factors. In this case, since the estimated emergence is expected within a maximum of…
Current soybean stage (27 June 2023) at Champaign in IL, USA
Today I went to soybean field. I’m not familiar with soybean, and now I’m studying soybean physiology When the third node is formed, the first trifoliate leaflets extend, and this stage is called the V1 stage. When the second trifoliate leaf is established, it enters the V2 stage. Therefore, the current soybean growing stage is V3. Reference https://bookstore.ksre.ksu.edu/pubs/MF3339.pdf © 2022 – 2023 https://agronomy4future.com
[Crop Note] current corn stage (27 June 2023) at Champaign in IL, USA
Today, I visited another cornfield near Champaign, IL. The current growing stage is between V10-V11. Every time I go to a cornfield, it’s my interest to identify the V5 leaf. found one corn plant near V8 and dissected it to see nodule formation. This is an interesting activity. We conducted gas sampling. This gadget can measure the emissions of carbon dioxide, nitrous oxide, ammonia, and methane.
Corn growing stage: V6 – V8
The growing point and the tassel go above the soil surface around the V6 stage. The number of kernel rows is being determined from V7 to V8. The stalk begins to elongate. Also, you can see the corn tassel.
[Crop Note] current corn stage (26 June 2023) at Champaign in IL, USA
The current growing stage in Champaign, IL is between V9 and V10. Today is a cloudy day, and it rained for a very short time. Tasseling is currently occurring, and it’s near the 11th node. Today, we collected gas samples. This machine can measure emissions for carbon dioxide (CO2), nitrous oxide (N2O), ammonia (NH3), and other gases at once. It took 4 minutes per spot. © 2022 – 2023 https://agronomy4future.com
What is the Hardy–Weinberg principle? Applying it to Practical Scenarios.
Today I’ll explain what the Hardy–Weinberg principle is. The concept of genetic equilibrium, also known as Hardy-Weinberg equilibrium, describes the idealized conditions in a population where the allele frequencies remain constant over time. It assumes that certain conditions are met, including a large population size, random mating, no mutation, no migration, no selection, and no genetic drift. However, in real populations, these conditions would be often not fully met, and various factors can lead to changes in allele frequencies and…
[Crop Note] current corn stage (23 June 2023) at Champaign in IL, USA
It has been a dry day for a long time in Champaign. I arrived in Champaign on June 11th, 2023, and since then, I haven’t seen any rain. All the fields are extremely dry now. Of course, if it’s dry, it would be okay because we can find any GxE interaction and phenotypic plasticity in response to drought. However, there are also germination problems, and they would be big issues for field research. I hope that it will rain next…
[Agronomy article] Why Crops Cannot Directly Utilize Atmospheric Nitrogen (feat. Nitrogen Cycling in Soil)?
Crops utilize carbon dioxide (CO2) from the atmosphere to undergo photosynthesis. In other words, photosynthesis is the process in which crops, within their chloroplasts, utilize light energy to synthesize glucose (C6H12O6) from carbon dioxide (CO2) and water (H2O). Photosynthesis occurs in the chloroplasts located in the leaves of crops, where the Calvin cycle takes place, resulting in the production of glucose. The substance generated in this process is commonly referred to as photo assimilates or assimilates. These assimilates are temporarily…
Sexual Classification of Plants
1. Unisexual flower a flower that has either male or female reproductive structures, but not both. Unisexuality can be divided into two categories. 1-1) Monoecious: a type of plant that has separate male and female flowers on the same plant. The representative plants of monoecious plants are corn and other Cucurbitaceae crops such as squash, cucumber, watermelon, pumpkin, etc. The corn we eat is actually the female flower of the corn plant. It is fertilized by the pollen from the…
The Basic Concept of Hybrid Seed Production using Cytoplasmic Male Sterility
Before Getting Started!! This content applies only to bisexual flowers. If it is not a bisexual flower, there is no reason to use cytoplasmic male sterility for seed production. It is recommended to read the post below first. □ Sexual Classification of Plants ■ Male Sterility: the condition in which plants are unable to produce functional pollen grains or male gametes, which is necessary for sexual reproduction. ■ Male Fertility: the ability of male reproductive structures (stamens) to produce viable…
Corn Development Stages- R4 (Dough)
Around 24 to 26 days after silking, milky inner fluid (the starchy liquid) in kernels becomes a dough-like consistency. Kernels contain around 70% moisture and reaches around 30 – 50% of mature dry weight. In this stage, four embryonic leaves have formed. When kernels have reached dough stage, kernel abortion is much less likely to occur, indicating the critical period to determine kernel number is less relevant after R3 or R4 stage. On the other hand, the critical period to…
How much nitrogen is lost when applying in season?
How much fertilizer do farmers lose when they apply nitrogen in season? Is volatilization a significant problem? Could 4R nutrient management and urease inhibitors help? To answer those questions, our research team had an interview with RealAgriculture in Canada. ArticleCorn School: How much nitrogen is lost when applying in season?
Corn Development Stages- R3 (Milk)
After 18 – 20 days from R1 stage, the kernels become mostly yellow and contain “milky” white fluid (i.e. starch accumulates). However, moisture content of kernel at R3 is around 80%. Starch accumulation continuously occurs in the endosperm, and cell division of endosperm is almost complete, indicating that growth of kernels since R3 would be mostly due to cell expansion and starch accumulation rather than cell division of endosperm. It also means that potential kernel size would be finally determined…
Corn Development Stages- R2 (Blister)
I harvested some corn plants at R1 stage 12 days ago. Around R1 stage, final kernel number would be determined. In corn, kernel row number (girth) and number per row (length) in an ear are main yield components. Girth determination of the uppermost ear (the ear harvested) begins shortly after the ear shoot is initiated (V5 to V6) and is thought to be complete by growth stage V12, while the potential number of kernels per row (length) is finally determined…
Corn Development Stages- R1 (Silking)
In corn, R1 stage (silking) is one of the most critical period to determine yield potential. The emergence of silk is regarded as the initiation of reproductive period. Each ovule (potential kernel) on the ear develops its own silk (as the stigma of the female flower). Silks initiate to elongate around the V12. It stars from the ovules near the base of the corn cob, and then sequentially developed from base to up. Silking of the tip ovules are lastly…
Current corn stage (28 July 2022) at Guelph in Ontario, Canada
Sowing date: 12/05/2022 Today: 28/07/2022 (78 days from sowing) Current stage: R1 Site: Ontario, Canada Finally corn reached to R1. Now we can see corn silk will appear. Also, we regard corn developmental stage as R1 (silking) when tassels appears. It’s very important silking and tasseling are synchronized timely for successful pollination and fertilization (It would determine final yield). Environmental stresses (i.e. drought or heat, etc) would cause unsynchronization between silking and tasseling. When one appears first and another one…
Different developmental stage of corn ear
This post is the summary of the article, ‘Ear Initiation & Size Determination in Corn’ by prof. Bob Nielsen in Purdue University, and therefore all storytelling in this post is based on the article. In a corn plant, kernel number of per ear (KN) is an important contributor to the grain yield potential. Therefore, developmental stage of corn ear is the critical period to determine KN. Environmental stress during ear development may limit the potential ear size, and therefore final…
Why plants at the front are always smaller than others inside plot?
Why plants at the front are always smaller than others inside plot? If there is a border effect, it’s likely to be taller. This mainly results from more soil compaction and also might be due to competition against grasses. Furthermore, N fertilizers would be less supplied at the front where the applicator just starts to apply N.