Evaluating the Productivity of some Barely Genotypes under Deficient Water Application in Clayey Soils

Abstract

This study is intended to identify barely genotypes efficient for water use. For this, a field experiment was conducted at Sakha Research Station. The experimental design was randomize complete block with three replicates during 2018/2019 and 2019/2020 growing seasons. Twenty barely genotypes were grown under two water application treatments ((full irrigation (FI) and water stress (WS)). The values of applied irrigation water were 3430 and 1995 m3/ha under WS and FI, respectively, being lower by 42%, compared to FI amount, average over the two seasons. The interaction between barley genotypes and irrigation water revealed that plant height of line-7, spike length and number of grains/spike of line-6, number of spikes/m2 of Giza133, and grain and biological yields of line-5 were the least affected by WS, compared with their values under FI.  The highest values of WUE under WS were found for line-6 and line-11, which also attained the highest WP Line-8 and line-13, expressed the highest value of mean productivity, geometric mean productivity and stress tolerance indices. Furthermore, line-7 had the highest value of stress susceptibility index. Thus, based on WUE, WP and drought tolerance indices, it could be concluded that line-6, line-7, line-8, line-11 and line-13 have the ability to withstand water stress and could be selected for breeding programs for water use efficiency.