Testing of convenience of spring barley varieties for ecological cultivation

The aim of a field trial realised in the years from 1996 to 1998 in the purpose - made farm of Research Institute of Plant Production in Borovce was to test the convenience of 6 varieties of spring barley grown for ecological cultivation. In the experiment with 4-strip-of field sowing process (pea, winter wheat, potatoes, spring barley) these varieties were used: Tolar, Stabil, Akcent, Sladko, Orbit, Kompakt. The field trial was established in the year of 1996 by a block method with randomisation in four replications. Each small plot had size of 8m x 1.25 m and total small plot size was 10 square m. Sowing was done with a small-plot seed drill Ojord, the seed used was not chemically treated and the stand was not protected against diseases and pests with synthetically produced agrochemicals. Weed protection was only realized by harrowing. The seed rate was 4.5 million germinable seeds. The harvest was collected with a small-plot harvester Wintersteiger. In the trial the following parameters were monitored: emergence rate, spike number per square m, number of grains per spike, TGW, main product yield and technological quality (crude protein content and malt extract). The grain yield of the tested varieties was compared between each other and with average yields in the monitored years and in the three-year period. Statistical significance of differences between the yields was stated by variance analysis with testing differences according to Tukey. During the three-year trial period we recorded the average field emergence rate of 77.3% in existing ecological conditions. In the years of the trial (1996, 1997, 19998) we reached the field emergence rate of 65.11; 74.89 and 92%. As for individual tested varieties, the highest field emergence of rate was found with the Kompakt variety (357 plants, which represents difference in comparison with the average by 2.6%), the lowest rate with the Sladko variety (342 plants, which represents decrease by 1.7% in comparison with the average). These are average results obtain in the three-year trial period. There were 705 spikes in square m, 21 grains per spike and 1000-grain weight (TGW) was 44.45 g on average for all years and varieties in the trial. The highest average number of spikes in 1 square m appeared with the Akcent variety (732 spikes in 1 square m, which represents 103.8% in comparison with the average value), Tolar and Stabil varieties had both the highest average number of grains in a spike (22 grains in a spike, that represents 5% - increase in comparison with the average value), and Kompakt variety had the highest TGW in the experiment (45.30 g, which represents 101.91% in comparison with the average TGW value). Variance of analysis showed that the variability of fertility elements in the trial was highly - significantly influenced by varieties and interaction of variety x years and statistically significant differences in spike number and TGW were between the years. Stabil appeared as the most fertile variety (6.06 t/ha). It reached 103.95% in comparison with the average grain yield of six varieties. The differences in grain yield were highly - significant in years, differences among the varieties were not significant. At evaluation of qualitative traits on average for three-year testing period the best quality appeared with the Stabil and Kompakt varieties. The year as a whole was the most significant factor at forming the basic qualitative parameters of the technologic value of tested varieties of spring barley. On the basis of our results we recommend to choose the Stabil variety for requirements of alternative agriculture in this special land -climatic conditions. At its evaluation we scored balanced and stable results. Orbit also had good results, however, it reached lower average grain yield ( 1.5% less than Stabil variety)