The growth and yield of uniculm and tillered barley over a range of sowing rates
1990
McDonald, G.K. (Adelaide Univ., Glen Osmond (Australia). Waite Agricultural Research Inst.)
In field experiments the growth and yield of 2 lines of uniculm barley, WID-103 and WID-105, were compared in 1986-1988 over a range of sowing rates (50-400 kg per ha) with the commercial varieties Galleon and Schooner. A third tillered variety, Clipper, was included in the comparison in 1988. Over the 3 years plant populations measured early in the season ranged from 39 to 709 per sq m, and grain yields from 97 to 411 g per sq m. Grain yields of the tillered types were greater than or equal to the yields of the uniculms. Over the 4 experiments the tillered varieties had a 6 percent higher yield. The number of ears per sq m was the yield component most affected by plant density in both the tillered and uniculm barleys. The uniculm lines had more spikelets per ear, but tended to set fewer grains per spikelet and produce smaller kernels. The experiments failed to demonstrate any advantage of the uniculm habit to the grain yield of barley. To further improve the grain yield of uniculm barley, greater dry matter production is necessary as the harvest indexes of these lines are already high.
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