Influence of water stress on spring barley yields under Polish climatic conditions

Abstract

The aim of this study was to evaluate the influence of atmospheric precipitation on the yield of spring malting barley. The plant height and heading of the studied forms were observed as additional indicators of their reaction to variable water conditions. The plant material for this study consisted of spring barley breeding lines in generations F6-F7 evaluated at 7 locations in 1996-2001. The highest yield was observed with precipitation within the range 258-321 or 356-382 mm per growing season in years with colder or warm weather, respectively. These results were obtained using abundant plant material highly differentiated genetically, so it may be inferred that the above values are the rainfall levels optimal for spring barley cultivation under Polish climatic conditions. The experimental locations could be divided into four classes according to observations on mean yields and on total rainfall before heading and between heading and full maturity. the optimal class included locations where the highest yield was observed; in the second there was a high precipitation level but a lower yield was obtained; in the third class there was a shortage of rainfall before heading, and in the fourth class there was a shortage of rainfall between heading and maturity. The observation of yields lower than those obtained in optimal locations led to the assumption that stress factors at these locations did not allow the yield potential of the studied genotypes to be fully expressed. The studied genotypes showed good adaptation to the variable conditions of the Polish climate, which is characterized by periods with a shortage or excess of rainfall.