| dc.description | The article is regarding hail damage to wheat in the state of North Dakota. From 11948-69, $2.3 million was paid annually to farmers in the state for wheat damage by hail. The stage of growth of the wheat when damage occurs as well as the environmental conditions which
follow the damage are of considerable importance in determining the severity of yield loss. A study reviewed in this article was conducted to determine the effect of various degrees of simulated hail damage at different stem heights and at specific stages of growth at three locations in North Dakota: Fargo, Carrington and Dickinson. Hail damage was simulated by grasping the wheat plant stem between the fingers and bending
it until the spike (head of wheat) hung toward the ground. Stem breakage treatments were applied at five stages of growth: boot, bloom, milk, soft dough
and hard dough, when half of the plants treated had reached or exceeded each stage of development. Each experiment was replicated four times. Each breakage position on the
stem caused different yield reductions. At each breakage position the loss in yield was linearly proportional to an increasing intensity of stem breakage. Yield reduction factors for any per cent stem breakage are relatively easy to predict if weather conditions are normal. | |
