A single measurement is useful for determining how far a crop has progressed through grain development, and whether it has reached physiological maturity. Grain development is commonly assessed by using subjective, qualitative methods that describe the look and feel of the kernel or the colour of the straw. Physiological maturity in cereal crops can be determined more accurately by the grain moisture content; however, the moisture content of whole spikes is potentially quicker and easier to assess than that of individual kernels, and with a greater degree of accuracy. This experiment aimed to characterise the moisture dynamics of whole intact wheat (Triticum aestivum L.) and barley (Hordeum vulgare L.) spikes during the grain development phase and identify the spike moisture content corresponding to physiological maturity for both species. The dry matter and water contents of whole spikes of five wheat and five barley cultivars sown over six dates were determined at weekly intervals throughout the period of grain development from anthesis to harvest ripeness. Use of regression analysis determined that the spike moisture content at physiological maturity was 43% (95% confidence interval 41–45%) for wheat and 50% (95% confidence interval 49–51%) for barley, irrespective of differences in cultivar morphology, phenology and growing conditions. We demonstrate that progression through kernel development in wheat and barley can be assessed objectively and quantitatively by using spike moisture content, and we provide guidelines for accurate determination of the grain development stage using spike moisture.

单一测量可用于确定农作物通过谷物发育进展的程度以及是否已经达到生理成熟度。通常通过使用主观，定性的方法来评估谷物的发育，这些方法描述了麦粒的外观和感觉或稻草的颜色。谷物作物的生理成熟度可以通过谷物中的水分含量来更准确地确定。但是，整个穗状花序的水分含量可能比单个籽粒的水分含量更快，更容易评估，并且准确性更高。该实验旨在表征完整完整小麦（Triticum aestivum L.）和大麦（Hordeum vulgare）的水分动态。L.）在谷物发育阶段出现峰值，并确定与两种物种的生理成熟度相对应的峰值含水量。在从花期到收获成熟的整个谷物发育过程中，每隔一周要测定六个日期播种的五个小麦和五个大麦品种的整个穗的干物质和水分含量。回归分析的结果表明，不论品种形态如何不同，小麦成熟期的峰值水分含量为43％（95％置信区间41–45％），大麦为50％（95％置信区间49–51％）。 ，物候和生长条件。我们证明，通过使用峰值水分含量，可以客观和定量地评估小麦和大麦在籽粒发育过程中的进程，