An Engineering Investigation of Maize Stalk Strength
Additional Funding Sources
This project was supported by an Undergraduate Research Grant from the Office of Undergraduate Research at the University of Idaho, by the NASA Idaho Space Grant Consortium, and by USDA NIFA under Award No. 2017-09328.
Abstract
Every year millions of dollars of valuable grain are lost because modern crop varieties are unable to withstand high forces exerted on plants during wind and rain storms. This problem, known as stalk lodging, is particularly prevalent in maize (corn) and occurs when the stalk breaks below the ear. For plant breeders to determine what hybrids of corn are most resistant to stalk lodging, the stalk strength of existing hybrids must be accurately quantified. Previous methodologies of quantifying stalk strength create unnatural failure patterns and thus produce inaccurate strength measurements.
To replicate natural stalk lodging failure types and acquire accurate stalk strength data, a custom 3 point bending fixture was designed and manufactured. Then, using this fixture, 3 point bending tests were conducted on a set of 50 dent corn hybrids that were specially selected for this purpose by collaborating plant breeders. The data collected from these tests provide insights into stalk mechanical properties and will enable breeders to make more informed breeding decisions to reduce grain loss in the future.
An Engineering Investigation of Maize Stalk Strength
Every year millions of dollars of valuable grain are lost because modern crop varieties are unable to withstand high forces exerted on plants during wind and rain storms. This problem, known as stalk lodging, is particularly prevalent in maize (corn) and occurs when the stalk breaks below the ear. For plant breeders to determine what hybrids of corn are most resistant to stalk lodging, the stalk strength of existing hybrids must be accurately quantified. Previous methodologies of quantifying stalk strength create unnatural failure patterns and thus produce inaccurate strength measurements.
To replicate natural stalk lodging failure types and acquire accurate stalk strength data, a custom 3 point bending fixture was designed and manufactured. Then, using this fixture, 3 point bending tests were conducted on a set of 50 dent corn hybrids that were specially selected for this purpose by collaborating plant breeders. The data collected from these tests provide insights into stalk mechanical properties and will enable breeders to make more informed breeding decisions to reduce grain loss in the future.
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