Abstract

LOPEZ-CASTANEDA, Cándido. Variation in grain yield, biomass and kernel number of barley under three soil moisture conditions. Trop. subtrop. agroecosyt [online]. 2011, vol.14, n.3, pp.907-918. ISSN 1870-0462.

Variability in grain yield (GY), aerial biomass (BM) and number of grains m^-2 (G M^-2) in F₆ lines and commercial varieties of barley was studied, and the relationship among these characters in full-irrigation (FI), drought (D) and rain-fed (RF) conditions was determined. Variation in GY, BM and G M^-2 among all genotypes, between F₆ lines and varieties, and among genotypes of F₆ lines and varieties was significant in all the three soil moisture environments. GY, BM and G M^-2 in FI were 23, 14 and 21 % greater than the average of the three soil moisture environments; GY, BM and G M"² in RF were 21, 16 y 24 % lower than this average. F₆ lines produced greater GY (380 g m^-2), BM (1027 g m^-2) and G M^-2 (8641) than the commercial varieties (GY=277 g m^-2; BM=696 g m^-2 y G M^-2=7214) in average of the three environments. GY was positive and significantly associated with BM and G M^-2; BM and G M^-2 were also associated. GY could be improved in either FI, D or RF environments by selecting genotypes with a greater BM and G M^-2 or both of them.

Keywords : Hordeum vulgare L.; commercial varieties; F₆ lines; full-irrigation; drought; rain-fed.