Dual purpose barley as affected by date of sowing, varieties and stage of harvesting-A review

Abstract

Barley is primarily a cereal grain crop grown in rabi season and widely used for food, fodder and in beer industry. Dual purpose barley provides quality fodder as well as grain. Cutting at early stage at about 50-55 days after sowing, provides good quality of fodder particularly in lean period (mid December to mid January) for feeding to the animals. After harvesting for fodder, the regenerated crop left for grain production without sacrificing the grain yield with similar management as grain crop. For dual purpose barley need to evaluate the cultivars, optimum sowing time and stage of harvesting is a critical issue for production of good quality fodder as well as grain. Hence in this review article it has been emphasized for production of quality fodder and grain as influenced by date of sowing, dual barley variety used as suitable cultivars, and appropriate stage of harvesting which had been revealed and cited by different scientists, workers and co-workers.