Lodging occurs when tall crops like wheat, corn, or oats fall over and lie flat on the ground. This happens when heavy rain, high winds, or excessive nitrogen fertilizer cause the top of the plant to become too heavy for the stem or root system to support. Flattened crops are difficult to harvest with standard machinery and are highly susceptible to rot, disease, and yield loss.
Heard on the job
We had a bad storm blow through last night and there's significant lodging in the north wheat field.
Insider tip
Plant breeders actively select for shorter, thicker stems to prevent this issue, as a flattened crop severely slows down the combine and reduces grain quality.