Impact of simulated hail damage at different growth stages and canopy positions on rainfed and irrigated winter wheat

Abstract

Producers and crop insurance providers will benefit from an accurate assessment of yield reduction after hailstorms that considers crop management, weather, growth stage, and impacted part of crop (hail affected canopy position). But, limited information is available. The main objectives of this study were to quantify wheat (Triticum aestivum L.) yield losses associated with simulated hail damage timing and canopy position. The study was conducted in two locations (Garden City [irrigated], and Manhattan [rainfed]) in Kansas, from 2018 to 2020 and 2016 to 2018, respectively. Treatments were an incomplete factorial combination of stem bending at seven flowering stages, above or below the flag leaf and a nontreated control. Results of the study indicated 11%–22% wheat yield reduction due to simulated hail damage above the flag leaf and 32%–52% due to hail impact below the flag leaf under irrigated conditions. Within the high-yielding rainfed environment, hail damage caused up to 20% yield reduction compared with the control. In rainfed and low-yielding environments, the impact of hail damage was mainly dependent on the growth stage of wheat at hail occurrence. Hail damage at Feekes 11.2–11.4 stages decreased yield by 20%–50% from the rainfed control. Hail damage at Feekes 10.0–10.5.4 decreased yield by 50%–70% from the rainfed control. We provide empirical evidence that indicates hail damage on wheat is dependent on the interaction effect of in-season crop water management, weather, canopy position and crop growth stage, and estimates of yield loss due to hail should consider these factors.