Life Sciences Commons^™

Measurement Of Sorghum Stalk Strength Using The Missouri-Modified Electronic Rind Penetrometer, Jeffrey F. Pedersen, J. J. Toy

Department of Agronomy and Horticulture: Faculty Publications

Resistance to lodging is critical in sorghum [Sorghum bicolor (L.) Moench] grown for grain, yet adequate tools for plant breeders to assess this character at or before anthesis have not been developed. The objective of this study was to evaluate whether an electronic penetrometer previously shown to be an effective tool for measuring stalk strength in maize (Zea mays L.) could be usedd to differentiate among grain sorghum hybrids. Entries in three commercial grain sorghum hybrid trials were evaluated for rind penetrometer resistance (RPR) of the peduncle, the lower stalk anthesis and the lower stalk at maturity. Actual …