THE EFFECT OF VARYING ROW SPACINGS ON THE AGRONOMIC AND QUALITY CHARACTERISTICS OF CEREALS AND FLAX

Abstract

During a 3-year study (1957–1959) at three Manitoba locations, agronomic and quality characteristics of Selkirk wheat, Garry oats, Swan barley and Raja flax were studied when crops were seeded in rows spaced 6, 12, 18, 24 and 30 inches apart. Within crops the same seedling rate per row was used for all spacings.A row spacings increased from 6 to 30 inches, yields of all crops gradually declined whereas tillering and seed return increased. The 1000-kernel weight of barley increased substantially with wider row spacings, but in wheat and flax the lowest 1000-kernel weights were recorded at the widest spacing. The kernel weight of oats and the bushel weight of all crops were not affected noticeably by row spacing. Protein content of wheat at 30-inch spacing averaged 3.2 per cent higher than wheat at 6-inch spacing. Protein in barley and flax also appeared to increase at wider row spacings, but not as sharply as in wheat.Average soil moisture content between 30-inch flax rows was higher at the time of boll formation than between 6- and 18-inch rows. A similar trend was found in wheat at time of heading.Wheat variety by spacing interactions was studied in one test in which Lerma, Lee, Thatcher and Selkirk wheats were seeded in rows spaced 6, 12, 18, 24 and 30 inches apart. No significant interactions were observed in tillering and protein content, whereas interactions in yield and 1000-kernel weights were highly significant.