A novel rind puncture technique to measure rind thickness and diameter in plant stalks.

The rind puncture technique shows promise as a high throughput method for determining rind thickness and diameter as it is cost effective and non-lethal. The authors are currently working to develop a custom handheld apparatus to allow the novel rind puncture method to be used in field work. High throughput field-based measurements of rind thickness and diameter are needed to help address the problem of stalk lodging (failure of grain crops to remain upright until harvest).