New pointer to better leaf disease management

Alan Bowring who is researching the role of head and flag leaf development in contributing to wheat yield... New research is suggesting lower leaves contribute more to wheat yield than is currently the "accepted norm" - under which protection of the flag leaf is the principal determinant of grain yield... In similar cool long season conditions in Australia this also seems to be the case in more difficult hot, dry seasons in northern Australia, Alan Bowring's results suggest that the importance of the flag leaf is about half of what is accepted in the UK. His data indicates that in these dry conditions the earlier leaves preceding the flag leaf (especially the preceding two; flag leaf -1 and -2) have a similar overall contribution to yield as the flag leaf, at least in environments such as northern NSW. Contribution to yield of pre-flowering stem reserves was assessed in the research and is believed to contribute between 16 and 21 per_cent by remobilisation of sugars and proteins to the grain...