Grain yield of new malting barley cultivars in different agroecological conditions

Abstract

The basic aim of barley cultivation is yield increase per unit area, where yield as a complex trait is affected by genetic and environmental factors. Malting barley production is of high economic significance because malt is a scarce product in the world market, if it conforms with the quality parameters set by the Brewing Industry Association.

In order to determine the most favourable varieties for malt production in the agroecological conditions of Serbia, a number of spring and winter barley varieties bred at the Small Grains Research Centre in Kragujevac were used in the trial. Comparative variety examinations were carried out in a two-year period at five different sites. Based upon grain yield values obtained it can be concluded that all varieties produced a satisfactory result, with the Jagodinac and Record, two-rowed winter barley varieties, having achieved the highest yield. The Jagodinac variety is a malting barley type and of excellent technological quality, and the Record variety can be used for malt production or livestock nutrition. Spring varieties achieved lower average yield and expressed stronger reaction to variable environmental conditions.