Author
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Bruns, Herbert |
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Submitted to: Agronomy Journal
Publication Type: Peer Reviewed Journal Publication Acceptance Date: 9/21/2008 Publication Date: 1/1/2009 Citation: Bruns, H.A. 2009. A Survey of Factors Involved in Crop Maturity. Agronomy Journal. 101:60-66 Interpretive Summary: This is a review of literature on crop maturity. Maturity of crops is depended upon the plant species and environment. The lifecycle of a plant can take only a few weeks to complete or several years, depending on what species it is. Light and temperature interacting with plant hormones determine the rate at which a crop develops and some crops are affected more by light while others are more sensitive to temperature. This review focuses on maturity in soybeans, corn, small grains, and cotton. Technical Abstract: The time necessary for crops to successfully complete reproduction is species and environment dependent. Lifecycles can be completed in a few weeks or take several years depending upon the plant species. Crop development is divided into phenophases that are affected primarily by light and temperature changes, interacting with phytohormones. Some species are influenced more by light and others by temperature. This review focuses on factors that influence maturation in several important agronomic crops. It is not meant to be a definitive summation on the topic of crop maturity but rather a starting point for in-depth study on the subject. |
