Effects of planting date and plant density on grain yield and yield components of elite barley lines.

In order to evaluate the effect of different planting date and plant densities on grain yield and yield components of elite barley lines, an experiment was conducted in two successive years (2007-9), in Kabootarabad Agricutrual Research Station. The experimntal design arranged in strip split plot layout within a randomized complete block design with three replications. Main plots were three planting dates (October 11th , November 1th and November 21th), subplots were three plant densities (300, 350 and 400 plant m-2) and subsubplots were five barley cultivars (MB -79-4, MB-80-9 , MB-80-16 , D5 and karoon x kavir). Stalk height, numbers of days to spike emergence and maturity, grain yield, numbers of spikes per square meter, numbers of kernels per spike, thousand kernel weight and biomass were measured. The Bartlet test result were significant, and in this regard, analysis of combined two years experiments were not done. In the first year, all measured characteristics , except grain yield, were affected by planting date, significantly. Although, maximum grain yield was obtained form first planting date. The plant densities had only significant effects on thousand kernel weight. And all above mentioned characteristics, except numbers of kernels per spike, were affeceted significantly by genotype. In this year, M-80-16 barley produced the highest grain yield. It is expected that the numbers of spikes per area unit, had the most effects in this regard. The second year results showed that all characteristics, except numbers of days to spike emergence, affected by planting date, significantly. The frist planting date produced the highest grain yield. Plant densites not significant effects on measured characteristics, although the maximum grain yield obtained from 400 plant m-2 . Genotype had significant effects on all characteristics, exept grain yield. The results of this experiment suggested the October 11th planting date, for use 400 plant m-2 density and M-80-16 barley line to achive suitable grain yield in central parts of Isfahan province and similar conditions.