Survival of Tillers and Distribution of Dry Matter between Ear and Shoot of Barley Varieties

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Abstract
Plants of Plumage Archer barley grown in pots produced more shoots than did Proctor, but had fewer ears at maturity, because some shoots died about 7 days before ear emergence. The number and position on the plant of the shoots that died were consistent for particular growing conditions. Shoots that died were not always the last to be produced. There were no consistent differences in dry weight, leaf area, nitrogen content, or apex development between shoots that did and did not survive; nor did removing three developing ears on older shoots affect the survival of other shoots. Growth of Plumage Archer plants was not checked by death of shoots; dry matter, nitrogen, and leaf area were redistributed so that increase in surviving shoots compensated for losses in the dead shoots. The dry-weight ratio of ear to shoot was smaller for Proctor than for Plumage Archer at ear emergence and anthesis, but at maturity it was greater for Proctor, both when ears were shaded to prevent them photosynthesizing and when they were unshaded. The varietal difference in ear: shoot dry-weight ratio was reversed because the relative growth-rate of ears of Proctor was greater and because more dry matter was lost from its shoots. Both changes may have been caused by translocation to the ear of a greater proportion of the assimilate from the shoots of Proctor than of Plumage Archer. Leaves of Proctor appeared to be more efficient in producing dry matter for the ear than those of Plumage Archer.

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