Grain yield and quality of two-row winter barley cultivars on an acid soil

Abstract

The experiment was established at the experimental field of the Dr. Dorde Radic Secondary School of Agriculture and Chemistry in Kraljevo (Serbia) during the 2010/11, 2011/12 and 2012/13 growing seasons. The objective of the research was to evaluate the effect of genotype and the environment on the grain yield of winter barley cultivars ('Jagodinac', 'Maksa', 'Rekord', 'NS 565' and 'NS 525'). The following characteristics were analysed: grain yield, 1,000 grain weight, test weight and plant height. The average grain yield of all cultivars in the 2010/11 growing season was significantly greater than in the following years, mostly as the result of highly favourable weather conditions at major stages of plant development. 'Jagodinac', 'NS 565' and 'NS 525' gave significantly higher grain yields in all years compared to 'Maksa' and 'Rekord'. Averaged across years, significantly higher values for 1,000 grain weight and test weight were found in 'NS 565' and 'Rekord', respectively. In all years, plant height was significantly greater in 'Jagodinac' than in the other cultivars. Different responses of cultivars to variable agroenvironmental conditions in terms of 1,000 grain weight and test weight require the use of a number of cultivars in the crop structure.