Tropical and Subtropical Agroecosystems (Aug 2011)
VARIATION IN GRAIN YIELD, BIOMASS AND GRAIN NUMBER OF BARLEY UNDER DROUGHT
Abstract
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=290 g m-2; BM=726 g m-2 y G M-2=7463) 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.