Lodging Resistance is a measure of a plant’s ability to resist toppling over in the field when confronted with adverse environmental conditions such as high winds or downpours. Toppled grain is extremely undesirable because it increases the danger of noxious microbial contamination, which negatively affects malt quality. Lodging resistance is influenced by many factors, such as root anchorage and the length, diameter, and strength of the stalk. Of particular importance, just prior to harvesting, is the so-called peduncle strength, which denotes the sturdiness of the stem portion between the flag leaf and the ear. Cultivars with shorter peduncles and greater peduncle diameter tend to have greater lodging resistance. The same is true for plants with good resistance to a plant disease called leaf rust. The proper spacing of seeds on the field is essential too, because plants that are too close together compete excessively for light and grow too tall, which decreases lodging resistance. Short, neatly aligned rows of grain, on the other hand, ensure better mechanized harvest efficiency and higher yields per acre and reduce the possibility of fungal disease infestations. High lodging resistance, therefore, results in cleaner grain and better overall grain quality.

Fertilizers, too, influence lodging resistance. For instance, excessive amounts of nitrogen fertilizer, especially if applied at the very early stages of plant development to improve agronomic yields, are correlated not only with higher protein values in barley kernels but also with reduced lodging resistance. Fertilizers containing potassium, on the other hand, tend to enhance stalk strength and thus lodging resistance.