Farmer';s Participatory Evaluation and Selection of Elite Barley Genotypes under Farmer';s Field.

Increasing of crop production in recent years is mainly due to introducing of new high yielding varieties to farmer fields. Acceptance of new varieties by farmer can be facilitated by encouraging the farmers to participate in the very initial stages of breeding, when the large genetic variability created by the breeders is virtually untapped. This will offers farmers the possibility to familiarize with new options without exposing the household to any risk. Participatory plant breeding also exploits the potential gains of breeding for specific adaptation through decentralized selection, defined as selection in the target environment, and is the ultimate conceptual consequence of a positive interpretation of genotype x environment interactions. Making plant breeding more market-oriented can help solve diverse problems. The new varieties are more likely to better meet farmers' particular needs for specific environments. Market-oriented plant breeding increases the speed of varietal replacement and often increases on-farm varietal diversity. For this purpose the present study was conducted using 20 advance barley genotypes, including 2 checks, i.e. Nosrat and Raihan, in 4 locations in moderate climates, Karaj, Kordestan, Kermanshah, and Lorestan. The experiment was carried out with 2 replications in a RCBD design. In Karaj, the experiment was carried out at research experiment station. Statistical analysis showed highly significant differences among the genotypes at each location, and highly significant GxE interaction. The farmer preference was examined by inviting 21 progressive farmers to select the desired genotypes at maturity stage. The ratio of preference of farmers who select a specific genotype to the number of all farmers was calculated for each genotype. The researchers also select the desired genotype. There was about 70% agreement between the results of farmers and researchers selection. Based on farmer's selection, the genotypes nos. 19, 16, 11, 10, 4, and 2 were superior to the others, respectively. However, researchers selected the lines 2, 4, 11, and 19, compared to the Raihan check. Therefore, the above mentioned 4 lines, i.e., 2, 4, 11, and 19 (VIOLETA/MJA, Rihane//Aths/Bc , Novosadski-444 , and Nosrat, respectively) were selected. The results of present study showed the potential of farmer experience to be used in a breeding program to identify superior lines that could be better accepted by farmers in the same target area.