RELATIONSHIPS BETWEEN VEGETATIVE GROWTH, GRAIN YIELD AND GRAIN PROTEIN CONTENT IN SIX WINTER BARLEY CULTIVARS

Abstract

The relationship between the protein content of grain, plant grain yield and yield components (number of ears per plant, number of grains per ear, and 1000-grain weight) was determined for six cultivars of winter barley, four six-rowed (Hordeum vulgare L.) and two two-rowed (H. distichon L.), grown in Granada (Spain) during 1979, 1980 and 1981. Each cultivar was grown with two levels of nitrogen fertilizer (25 and 40 kg/ha) applied both at seeding and as a top-dressing. Protein content of the grain, grain yield and number of ears per plant varied significantly with genotype, level of nitrogen fertilizer applied at seeding and year. Protein content of the grain was positively correlated with plant grain yield. Both factors were correlated principally with the number of ears per plant, and to a lesser extent with grains per ear and grain weight. The protein content and grain yield depended on the crop dry weight or biomass during the vegetative period (source capacity) which was in turn, related to the leaf area index.Key words: Barley, protein content, grain yield, Hordeum vulgare L., Hordeum distichon L.