Inheritance of Yield Components and Morpho‐physiological Traits in Barley, Hordeum vulgare L.1

Abstract

The main objective of this study was to evaluate the possibilities of using morphological characters as selection criteria for yield improvement in barley (Hordeum vulgare L.). In order to obtain this information, the F1 of seven‐cultivar diallel cross was grown in the field in 1969 and 1970 to study the inheritance of grain yield, tillers per plant, kernel weight, kernels per head, flag leaf area, erectophile flag leaf area, peduncle area, head area, flag leaf area duration, culm diameter, and flag leaf angle,The results indicate that both agronomic and morpho‐physiological traits were controlled mainly by additive gene action. Dominance effects were also observed, but these were not stable in controlling grain yield, kernel weight, and flag leaf angle. The photosynthetic areas above the flag leaf node, culm diameter, and flag leaf area duration appear to be controlled by partially recessive gene action. With the exception of flag leaf angle, all the morpho‐physiological traits were significantly associated with grain yield over two years of observation. Since selection for morpho‐physiological traits is easy and the heritabilities for these traits were quite high, genetic gains for these traits are expected. Consequently, selection for morpho‐physiological traits appears to be a promising means of establishing a high yielding plant type.