Effect of genotype and position in the ear on carpel and grain growth and mature grain weight of spring barley

Abstract

SUMMARYGrain growth and final weight per grain were measured in 12 genotypes of spring barley, the parents and progeny of two six-row × two-row crosses. Weight of carpels or grains from node 10 on the main shoot ear was measured from shortly after meiosis until grains were at maximum dry weight. Similar measurements were made at representative node positions along the ear of Proctor and of Midas spring barley cultivars.From about 10 days after anthesis grains grew at a constant rate for about 3 weeks. Amongst genotypes growth rate of the median grain ranged from 1·4 to 2'2 mg/day and there was a very highly significant positive correlation between growth rate and final grain weight. A similar relationship was found among grain positions on the ear. For about 10 days after anthesis growth was exponential and although relative growth rate did not differ between genotypes or grain positions there was a highly significant difference between caryopsis weights during this phase. There were significant correlations between final grain weight and carpel weight at anthesis and between final grain weight and husk weight at anthesis. In the period between meiosis and anthesis growth was exponential and the relative growth rate did not differ between genotypes or node positions on the ear. There were significant differences between carpel weights during this phase. Carpel weight at anthesis and carpel linear dimensions at meiosis were correlated.These data suggest that the initial size of carpel is an important factor in determining growth rate and potential grain weight. Potential grain size in barley may be determined by physical limitations imposed by the lemma and palea or may be causally related to the size of the carpel. The relative size of the carpel is determined by the time of meiosis and potential size may also be affected by pre-anthesis conditions.