Varietal Resistance to Spray Damage in Barley

Abstract

IN experiments designed to control insect pests in the cereal nursery at the Welsh Plant Breeding-Station it was noticed that there was considerable damage on barley plants after spraying with a proprietary insecticide containing DDT, which had been applied according to the manufacturers' instructions for field spraying. Certain plants suffered severe chlorosis; the sprayed leaves turned yellow and failed to recover, while succeeding leaves were green and appeared to be unharmed although productivity was severely reduced. Spraying at the early seedling stage and under unfavourable environmental conditions caused wilting and even death of the plant.