Moving toward short stature maize: The effect of plant height on maize stalk lodging resistance

Background: Stalk lodging is the structural failure of crops due to external loading such as wind. Short-stature (i.e., dwarf) varieties of wheat and rice have shown promise in reducing lodging rates. However, similar dwarfing in large gains like maize and sorghum has typically been accompanied by undesirable commercial characteristics, including significantly decreased grain yields. The purpose of this paper is to quantify the relationship between lodging resistance and plant height in maize to better understand the potential impact of short-stature varieties of maize on lodging resistance. Results: Results from both the engineering analysis and the experimental field study indicate a nearly 1:1 relationship between plant height and plant lodging resistance. These data support the validity of the engineering analysis and suggest that there exists a nearly linear relationship between crop lodging incidence and plant height. Conclusions: Plant height has a direct and quantifiable impact on crop lodging resistance as it influences the bending stresses experienced in the plant stem. This study presents the engineering analysis, supported by field experiments, that explains the cause of this nearly linear 1:1 relationship.