不同库容量类型籼稻品种源库相关参数的基本特点

在群体水培条件下,以国内、外不同年代育成的常规籼稻代表品种(2001年为88个、2002年为122个)为材料,测定叶面积、干物质重(包括根系)、产量及其构成因素、氮素含量等,采用组内最小平方和的动态聚类方法将供试品种按库容量从低到高依次分为A、B、C、D、E、F 6类,研究各类品种源、库主要性状的基本特点。结果表明：(1)供试品种间库容量的差异很大(426%和817%)。A、B、C、D、E、F类品种的平均库容量,2001年分别为426.37、642.53、770.96、903.73、1 064.32、1 213.90 g m^-2,2002年分别为359.36、574.11、764.98、962.43、1 200.11、1 455.59 g m^-2;(2)大库容量品种全生育期天数、每日形成的库容量较大,库容量显著受到全生育期天数、每日形成库容量的影响,后者对库容量的作用大于前者对库容量的作用;(3)大库容量类型品种抽穗期叶面积、成熟期叶面积、抽穗期绿叶重、成熟期绿叶重、比叶重较大,但结实期叶面积下降比例小;(4)大库容量类型品种结实期净同化率、单位叶面积籽粒产量、单位叶面积库容量、单位干物质库容量、单位氮素库容量大于小库容量类型品种;（5）多元逐步回归分析表明,抽穗期绿叶重、单位叶面积库容量、单位氮素库容量、单位干物质库容量、净同化率、比叶重是影响库容量的主要源库性状(R²= 0.953~0.963)。通径分析表明,抽穗期绿叶重、单位叶面积库容量对库容量的作用要显著大于单位氮素库容量、单位干物质库容量、净同化率、比叶重等对库容量的作用。     

Spatial variability of salt-affected soils in the middle Ebro Valley (Spain) and implications in plant breeding for increased productivity

Barley breeding programs have empirically selected for improving grain yield and quality. The objective of this study was to quantify genetic gains in yield in 2-rowed malting barley cultivars released from 1944to 1998 in Argentina, identifying the major physiological traits responsible for them. For this purpose, a field experiment was conducted in absence of biotic and abiotic stressful factors and with lodging being prevented mechanically. Until the 1970's,potential yield was maintained nearly constant at 5.25 mg ha^-1 and since then it increased at a rate of 41 kg ha^-1 year^-1. That bi-linear trend was closely related to the trend of averaged yields obtained by farmers. The contribution made by breeding yield potential to the total yield gains achieved by farmers was estimated in c. One third. Neither time to heading nor time to maturity were systematically modified by breeding. However, the partitioning of the developmental time was modified: time to achieve both maximum number of floret primordia and length of the jointing –heading period were increased with the year of release of the cultivars. The main component associated with yield was the number of grains per m², due to variations in number of spikes per m².Total and vegetative biomass at maturity increased with the year of release of the cultivars, at a rate of 45 and 19 kg ha^-1 year^-1, while both harvest index and stem height remained virtually unmodified. Differences in biomass at heading among cultivars were related to the improvement on the abilities to capture more radiation. This revised version was published online in August 2006 with corrections to the Cover Date.     

中籼水稻品种产量与株型演进特征研究

以江苏省近60年生产上应用的16个代表性中籼品种(含杂交稻组合)为材料,依品种应用时期结合株型和基因型,将供试品种分为早期高秆（ET）、改良高秆（IT）、矮秆（DC）、半矮秆常规品种（SDC）、半矮秆杂交稻（SDH）和超级稻（SR）6个类型,研究其产量、源库关系和株型变化特性。结果表明,随着品种改良,籽粒产量逐步提高。这主要是由于总颖花量的增加,其关键在于每穗粒数的增多;结实率以DC最高,SR最低,千粒重变化不大。由ET到DC,植株高度降低,生物产量与收获指数同步提高,收获指数的提高更为明显。由DC到SR,植株高度略有增加,生物产量明显提高,抽穗后增加的量尤为显著,收获指数变化较小。品种改良明显减小了顶部3叶的着生角度,增加了抽穗期的叶面积,但颖花量的增加超过叶面积的增加,导致粒叶比（颖花数与叶面积之比）提高。随品种的演进,抽穗期根重以及根冠比提高,但根系伤流液量减少。抽穗至成熟根系伤流液和叶片中玉米素＋玉米素核苷浓度下降的速度表现为SR>SDH>SDC。依据品种演进特征,对进一步提高产量的途径进行了讨论。     

不同年代中籼水稻品种的产量与氮肥利用效率

本研究旨在探明中籼水稻在品种改良过程中产量与氮肥利用效率的变化特点。以江苏省近70年来不同年代在生产上广泛应用的12个代表性中籼水稻品种(含杂交稻组合)为材料,依据应用年代将其分为20世纪40—50年代、60—70年代、80—90年代和2000年以后4个类型,设置0 N(全生育期不施氮)、MN(全生育期施氮210 kg hm–2)和HN(全生育期施氮300 kg hm–2)3个施氮量处理,研究其产量、氮肥利用效率及其生理特性。结果表明,随品种应用年代的演进,不同年代中籼水稻品种的产量和氮肥利用效率均获得较大提高。2000年以后的品种(超级稻)产量和氮肥利用效率较高,根系性状和叶片光合特性以及氮代谢相关酶活性强是其重要生理基础。超级稻抽穗后根系氧化力和剑叶光合速率下降的幅度较大可能是导致超级稻结实率较低的一个重要原因。提高灌浆中后期超级稻的根系氧化力和剑叶光合速率,有望提高超级稻的结实率。     

Genetic improvement of yield responsiveness to nitrogen fertilization and its physiological determinants in barley

Traditionally, barley in Argentina has been cultivated in low-yielding environments. A study was conducted to test whether breeding for improved performance under these conditions would have also improved the responsiveness to nitrogen availability. Four cultivars of two-rowed malting barley (released in 1944, 1960,1982 and 1998) were grown under 4 rates of nitrogen fertilizer at sowing (20, 50, 110and 160 kgN ha^-1). All cultivars increased their yield with the increase in soil nitrogen. But yield of modern cultivars responded more strongly than yield of old ones. For modern cultivars, increase in grain yield was of 12 ± 0.6 kgha^-1 for each 10 kg ha^-1 of increase in the mean yield (environmental index). Absolute values of genetic gain were related to nitrogen availability: 1.59, 2.58, 4.52 and 4.29 g m^-2 year^-1 for the N₂₀, N₅₀, N₁₁₀ and N₁₆₀ treatments, respectively. Grain yield was associated with grain number m^-2, which was dependent on spikes m^-2 and grains spike^-1. Total biomass at maturity also explained the changes in yield. It is concluded that selection under stress conditions was, in this case, beneficial to identify cultivars with high yields under a wide range of nitrogen availabilities. This revised version was published online in July 2006 with corrections to the Cover Date.     

超高产栽培杂交中籼稻的生长发育特性

以5个杂交中籼稻品种(含品系)扬两优6号、P88S/747、珞优8号、珞优234和天两优2号为材料,研究大田条件下超高产水平(产量≥12.0 t hm^-2)的物质生产、产量构成及养分吸收特性。试验结果表明,与高产水稻(产量≥9.0 t hm^-2)相比,超高产水稻具有以下特征,幼穗分化期、齐穗期和灌浆结实期(齐穗后10 d) LAI大,分别为6.5~7.2、8.5~8.9和6.5~7.0;齐穗期的高效叶面积比率高,为60.0%~66.5%;齐穗期、灌浆期和成熟期积累较多的干物质,分别为13.5~15.0、15.0~16.0和25.0~28.0 t hm^-2;分蘖盛期对氮(N)、磷(P)、钾(K)吸收利用优势不明显,而幼穗分化期、齐穗期和成熟期对N、P、K 吸收利用高而且积累速度快。此外,具有穗数多(有效穗数介于250×10⁴ ~290×10⁴ 穗 hm^-2)、结实率高(88.2%~92.3%)、千粒重大(29.0~31.0 g)的特点。     

南方粳型超级稻物质生产积累及超高产特征的研究

以超级粳稻品种武粳15、淮稻9号、徐稻3号和常优1号为材料,对高产(8.25~9.75 t hm^-2)、更高产(9.75~11.25 t hm^-2)和超高产(＞11.25 t hm^-2) 3个产量等级群体的物质生产与产量的关系、干物质积累、输出与转运等方面进行了系统的比较研究。结果表明,4个超级稻品种成熟期、抽穗至成熟期的干物质重与产量呈极显著正相关,抽穗期干物质重均与产量呈抛物线关系,拔节至抽穗期的干物质重与产量呈极显著正相关(高产—更高产、更高产—超高产以及将3个产量等级综合起来);从高产到更高产再到超高产,4个超级稻品种的生物学产量不断提高(差异显著),而超高产群体的经济系数则与更高产水平相当(0.5000以上),显著高于高产水平;较之更高产、高产群体,超高产群体在生育中期(拔节至抽穗期)干物质积累量大,抽穗期叶面积指数高、株型挺拔、群体质量优[有效叶面积率、高效叶面积率、总颖花量与颖花/叶(cm²)、基部节间粗、单茎茎鞘重均高],在生育后期(抽穗至成熟期),光合能力强(叶面积衰减率小,光合势、群体生长率、净同化率高)、干物质积累量高(占生物学产量的40.0%以上)、茎鞘物质的输出与转运协调[实粒/叶(cm²)、粒重(mg)/叶(cm²)均高]。     

Foliar diseases affect the eco-physiological attributes linked with yield and biomass in wheat (Triticum aestivum L.)

Foliar diseases are the main biotic cause of yield loss in wheat crops (Triticum aestivum L.) in Argentina and other regions around the world. Most of the studies on foliar diseases take a phytopathological perspective, but few studies have analyzed the problem with an eco-physiological approach aimed at the understanding of which crop traits are affected by foliar diseases. The present study was designed to determine the effects of a foliar disease complex (including leaf rust, Septoria leaf blotch and tan spot), on (i) grain yield and (ii) the physiological components of biomass production; intercepted radiation (RI) and radiation use efficiency (RUE), in bread wheat crops growing under contrasting agronomic and environmental conditions (i.e. different cultivars, years, location and nitrogen supply). The experiments were carried out during 4 years in different locations (three in the rolling pampas of Argentina and one in northern of France). Five different commercial wheat cultivars were sown on early (E) and late (L) sowing dates (SD); and two contrasting nitrogen availability and two fungicide treatments (protected and unprotected) were applied. Foliar diseases appeared during the grain filling period and affected both, leaf area duration (LAD) and healthy area duration (HAD) during that period. Foliar diseases reduced both, above-ground biomass at harvest (1533 and 1703 g m⁻² for unprotected and protected treatments, respectively) and grain yield (646 and 748 g m⁻² for unprotected and protected treatments, respectively) without important effects on harvest index. Biomass reductions after anthesis, due to the effects of foliar diseases, were associated with a reduced capacity of the canopy to absorb solar radiation more than any effect on RUE. However, RUE was consistently lower—when leaf rust was the predominant disease in the crop, suggesting that this biotrophic pathogen could affect the photosynthetic activity at the leaf or canopy level.     

Analysis of the genotype-by-environment interaction of spring barley tested in the Nordic Region of Europe: Relationships among stability statistics for grain yield

Variation in agronomic and quality characteristics was investigated in 220 Nordic spring barley cultivars across distinct environments (6 locations during 3 years) in the Nordic Region of Europe. The objectives of this research were to determine the importance of the genotype by environment interaction in all characteristics evaluated and to establish the relationship among different stability statistics for grain yield. Combined analysis of variance across locations indicated that both environments and genotype by environment interactions influenced significantly the cultivar phenotypes for all characteristics, irrespective of their type (row number) or earliness. The first two interaction principal component axes of the additive-main-effects-and-multiplicative-interaction (AMMI) model accounted together between 35% and 75% of the total genotype-by-environment interaction for all characteristics. Grain yield was, on average, higher in 2-row than in 6-row cultivars, which were significantly earlier in heading and grain maturity than the former. However, in some of the most northern locations, 6-row barley cultivars significantly outyielded on average 2-row barley lines. The genotype by location interaction variance (σ² _GL) accounted by each genotype was significantly associated to the deviation from regression (Tai's λ) while the coefficient of regression (β) was significantly correlated to the IPCA1 and IPCA2 of the AMMI model in 2-row, 6-row and early barley cultivars. This revised version was published online in August 2006 with corrections to the Cover Date.     

Effect of Ethephon Spraying at Three Developmental Stages of Barley Planted in Arid and Semiarid Mediterranean Locations

To determine the effects of ethephon [(2‐chloroethyl) phosphonic acid] on yield and yield components of rainfed barley in arid (150 mm rainfall) and semiarid (346 mm) regions, the present study was conducted during the growing seasons of 1999–2001. Ethephon was applied at the tillering, stem elongation and flowering stages. Acomparison of the effect of ethephon on rainfed and irrigated barley performed at the semiarid location in the following season confirmed the results. Ethephon decreased grain yield when sprayed at tillering and stem elongation compared with the later flowering stage for both the arid and semiarid locations. All arid‐location barley plants had lower grain yields than the semiarid‐location plants. There was a reduction in spikes m^?2 in the tillering and stem elongation stage sprayings compared to the control for both locations. In the semiarid and arid locations no difference in earliness (50 % heading) was observed between spraying times but ethephon always delayed heading. All arid‐location plants were earlier than semiarid‐location plants. However, when ethephon was used with supplementary irrigation it was found to increase grain yield, spikes m^?2 and earliness.     

中粳稻不同栽培模式对产量及其生理特性的影响

旨在探讨水稻高产与氮肥高效利用的栽培技术。以中粳稻品种,设置当地高产栽培(对照)、超高产栽培和高产高效栽培等处理,比较分析在不同栽培技术体系下产量形成特点及其生理原因。与对照相比,高产高效栽培增加了根和地上部植株干重、提高了根系细胞分裂素含量、根系氧化力、粒叶比、灌浆中后期叶片光合速率、抽穗期茎鞘中非结构性碳水化合物累积量、物质运转率和收获指数;产量增加了31%,氮肥农学利用率(单位施氮量增加的产量)增加了57%。说明通过栽培技术的集成优化,可以促进植株生长,进而获得高产和氮肥高效利用的效果。     

Toward yield improvement of early-season rice: Other options under double rice-cropping system in central China

Rice (Oryza sativa L.) grain yields vary considerably between seasons under subtropical irrigated conditions. Reports on comparisons of grain yield between early- and late-season rice in subtropical environments are lacking. In order to evaluate the role of climatic and physiological factors under double rice-cropping system in determining rice grain yield in farmers’ fields, six field experiments were conducted in both early and late seasons from 2008 to 2010 in Wuxue County, Hubei province, China. For early season crop, the attainable yield was highest under dense planting (38.5 hills m⁻²) when N was applied at a rate of 120–180 kg ha⁻¹. However, the effect of hill density on grain yield was relatively smaller for late season crop, while moderate hill density (28.1 hills m⁻²) and nitrogen rate (120 kg ha⁻¹) were advantageous in terms of grain yield and lodging resistance. Remarkably higher grain yields were achieved in late season crops compared with early season crops, as the former had superiority over the latter in sink size (sink capacity, such as spikelets per m²) and biomass production. The comparatively lower yield under early season mainly resulted from slower growth during the vegetative phase, which can be attributed to the lower temperature rather than reduced mean daily radiation. Summary statistics suggested that there was ample opportunity to improve rice yield in early season crops, compared with late season crops. Correlation analysis further showed that spikelets per m², panicles per m², leaf area index at panicle initiation and flowering, biomass at physiological maturity and biomass accumulation after flowering should be emphasized for increasing grain yield, especially in early season crops under the double rice-cropping system in central China. Current breeding programs need to target strong tillering ability, large panicle size and greater grain filling (%) for early season crops, and high yield potential and lodging-resistance for late season crops as primary objectives.     

The Effect of Late-terminal Drought Stress on Yield Components of Four Barley Cultivars

Barley (Hordeum vulgare L.) is an important winter cereal crop grown in the semiarid Mediterranean, where late‐terminal drought stress during grain filling has recently become more common. The objectives of this study were to investigate the growth performance and grain yield of four barley cultivars under late‐terminal drought stress under both glasshouse and field conditions. At grain filling, four barley cultivars (Rum, ACSAD176, Athroh and Yarmouk) were exposed to three watering treatments: (1) well‐watered [soil maintained at 75 % field capacity (FC)], (2) mild drought stress at 50 % FC, (3) severe drought stress at 25 % FC in the glasshouse experiment and (1) well‐watered (irrigated once a week), (2) mild drought (irrigated once every 2 weeks), (3) severe drought (non‐irrigated; rainfed) in the field. As drought stress severity increased, gross photosynthetic rate, water potential, plant height, grain filling duration, spike number per plant, grain number per spike, 1000‐grain weight, straw yield, grain yield and harvest index decreased. In the glasshouse experiment, the six‐row barley cultivars (Rum, ACSAD176, and Athroh) had higher grain yield than the two‐row barley cultivar (Yarmouk), but the difference was not significant among the six‐row cultivars under all treatments. In the field experiment, Rum had the highest grain yield among all cultivars under the mild drought stress treatment. The two‐row cultivar (Yarmouk) had the lowest grain yield. In general, the traditional cultivar Rum had either similar or higher grain yield than the other three cultivars under all treatments. However, the yield response to drought differed between the cultivars. Those, Rum and ACSAD176, that were capable of maintaining a higher proportion of their spikes and grains per spike during drought also maintained a higher proportion of their yield compared with those in well‐watered treatment. In conclusion, cultivar differences in grain yield were related to spike number per plant and grain number per spike, but not days to heading or grain filling duration.     

超级早、晚稻品种的源库协调性

为了探讨超级早、晚稻品种的高产机理,对其源库特性进行了研究。与非超级稻品种(对照)相比,超级早、晚稻品种的总库容量、粒叶比、粒束比均较大,且与产量显著正相关;在整个灌浆结实期的源库增量比略大,但早稻在灌浆中后期(抽穗后10~25 d)和晚稻在灌浆前期(抽穗后0~10 d)均明显大;起始灌浆速率和平均灌浆速率均大,结实率与起始灌浆速率显著正相关,产量与平均灌浆速率极显著(早稻)或显著(晚稻)正相关;生育后期的根系活力衰退值较小,而剑叶的气-叶温差除早稻的株两优819和晚稻的淦鑫688外,其它均大。根系活力衰退值与产量显著负相关,剑叶的气叶温差与产量显著正相关。研究表明,较大的库容量且源库协调性较好是超级早、晚稻品种超高产的重要机理。     

不同栽培模式对杂交粳稻群体质量的影响

以杂交粳稻常优3号和常优5号为材料,设置未施氮处理(0N)、当地高产栽培(对照)、高产高效栽培、超高产栽培、超高产高效栽培和氮肥高效利用栽培等6种不同栽培模式,并观察上述栽培模式对水稻产量和群体质量的影响。结果表明,两品种超高产栽培和超高产高效栽培的产量平均分别达12.0 t hm^-2和10.9 t hm^-2,较当地常规高产栽培分别高出41.6%和29.1%。与当地常规高产栽培相比,超高产栽培和超高产高效栽培等处理的茎蘖成穗率明显提高,抽穗至成熟期的干物质积累增加,有效叶面积和高效叶面积比率增加。上述两处理还提高了水稻粒叶比,改善了源库关系,并提高了剑叶的光合速率和叶绿素含量以及抽穗后的根冠比和根系伤流量。这些结果表明,通过栽培技术的集成与优化,可以改善水稻群体质量,获得更高产量。     

超高产常规粳稻宁粳1号和宁粳3号群体特征及对氮的响应

2007—2008年对宁粳1号和宁粳3号的丰产示范方进行调查,2008年以宁粳3号为材料进行氮肥用量和前后比例试验,研究常规粳型超级稻超高产群体特征及对氮的响应。结果表明,常规粳型超级稻宁粳1号和宁粳3号抽穗后干物质积累占籽粒产量的70%~80%,茎叶等营养器官的表观转运率少,易高产稳产。足够的颖花量是高产稳产的保证,要达到11.0 t hm^-2以上的产量,颖花数要 ≥ 42 000 m^-2;要达到11.7 t hm^-2以上的产量,颖花数要 ≥ 45 000 m^-2,同时结实率 ≥ 90%,粒重 ≥ 26 mg。超高产群体抽穗期适宜叶面积指数(LAI)为7.0~7.5,叶色呈“黑黄”节奏变化,后期生长速率(CGR)高,收获指数(HI)≥ 0.5。氮肥的适量施用和适当后移,不仅可以保证宁粳1号和宁粳3号生育期“黑黄”节奏变化,建立抽穗期适宜LAI的群体,还可以保持超高产株型特征,提高抽穗后LAI、叶面积维持期、CGR和HI,最终实现超高产量。     

超高产常规粳稻宁粳1号和宁粳3号群体特征及对氮的响应

2007-2008年对宁粳1号和宁粳3号的丰产示范方进行调查,2008年以宁粳3号为材料进行氮肥用量和前后比例试验,研究常规粳型超级稻超高产群体特征及对氮的响应。结果表明,常规粳型超级稻宁粳1号和宁粳3号抽穗后干物质积累占籽粒产量的70%~80%,茎叶等营养器官的表观转运率少,易高产稳产。足够的颖花量是高产稳产的保证,要达到11.0 t hm^-2以上的产量,颖花数要 ≥ 42 000 m^-2;要达到11.7 t hm^-2以上的产量,颖花数要 ≥ 45 000 m^-2,同时结实率 ≥ 90%,粒重 ≥ 26 mg。超高产群体抽穗期适宜叶面积指数(LAI)为7.0~7.5,叶色呈“黑黄”节奏变化,后期生长速率(CGR)高,收获指数(HI)≥ 0.5。氮肥的适量施用和适当后移,不仅可以保证宁粳1号和宁粳3号生育期“黑黄”节奏变化,建立抽穗期适宜LAI的群体,还可以保持超高产株型特征,提高抽穗后LAI、叶面积维持期、CGR和HI,最终实现超高产量。     

低氮密植栽培对超级稻产量和氮素利用率的影响

为了研究低氮密植栽培对水稻分蘖发生及成穗率、干物质积累及其转化、氮素利用率和产量的影响,2012—2013年以超级稻Y两优1号为材料,在湖南长沙和海南澄迈进行了施氮量(75、150、225 kg N hm–2)与栽插密度(68、40、27、19穴m–2),每穴苗数(单、双、三本穴–1)与栽插密度(40、27、19、14穴m–2)的大田栽培试验。结果表明,在基本苗数相同或相近的条件下,减苗增密在齐穗期和成熟期的干物质量及产量分别比增苗减密高10.5%、5.2%和2.9%,有效穗数对产量的贡献最大,达到显著水平;在低氮密植条件下,有效分蘖期缩短6 d左右,分蘖成穗率、表观转化率、氮肥偏生产力和氮素籽粒生产效率分别提高10.9%、21.0%、150.6%和19.6%。在施氮量为75 kg N hm–2的密植(40~68穴m–2)条件下,齐穗期和成熟期的干物质量及长沙点产量分别比中、高氮(150~225 kg N hm–2)常规密度(19~27穴m–2)低3.2%、7.5%和1.2%,但差异不显著,而澄迈点产量在2012年和2013年分别比之低5.2%和高9.1%,且差异均达显著水平。在施氮量为150 kg N hm–2的密植条件下,成熟期干物质量比高氮常规密度低1.7%,但齐穗期干物质量和产量比高氮常规密度高10.3%和3.3%。因此,超级稻采用低氮密植栽培,在100~150 kg N hm–2和40穴m–2条件下提早了够苗期,增加了有效穗数,提高了分蘖成穗率和结实率,加之齐穗期适宜的干物质积累和较高的表观转化率,有利于高产的形成和氮肥利用率的提高。     

Genetic analysis of heading date and other agronomic characters in barley (Hordeum vulgare L.)

Genetic analyses of heading date, tiller number, plant height, grain yield, kernel weight, and plump and thin kernels were made in three six-rowed barley crosses (Hordeum vulgare L.) involving four cultivars. Six populations, P₁ , P₂ , F₁ , F₂ , BC₁ , and BC₂ , from each cross were grown and evaluated at Fargo and Prosper, North Dakota, 1982. Parental means within crosses generally were different except for tiller number. Comparison of generation means suggested that late heading was dominant to early, high kernel weight was dominant to low, and kernel plumpness was influenced by additive gene action. The relationship between yield and heading date was not consistent among crosses and positive r values were quite low. It should be possible to select early maturing, high yielding segregates with plump kernels. Heterosis over the mid-parent was quite similar among crosses for heading date, but there was no heterosis over the high parent. Inbreeding depression was fairly constant for heading date, but was less consistent for yield. The lack of uniformity for estimates of inbreeding depression can be related to environmental variation and to its influence on type of gene action. The ratio of additive to dominance variance was inconsistent among crosses for heading date and yield. These data suggest selection for these characters should be delayed past the F 2 generation. Broad sense heritabilities for heading date ranged from 42 to 86%. Values obtained for grain yield were more consistent among broad sense than narrow sense estimates. Genetic advance estimates were low due to lack of additive variance. This revised version was published online in July 2006 with corrections to the Cover Date.     

The relation between grain yield and some related traits of spring barley (Hordeum vulgare L.) and their usefulness in a breeding program

Summary The objective of this study was to evaluate traits which can facilitate and improve selection for grain yield of spring barley. Five experiments were conducted in different environments to measure grain yield and yield related traits of breeding lines and exotic varieties. Differences for rate of canopy expansion were significant and offer the opportunity to select for a high weed suppressing potential but there was no relation to grain yield. Dry matter yield/m² at anthesis and its water-soluble-carbohydrate content were not correlated with grain yield/m² and number of grains/m². Variation in biomass among breeding lines with a similar development and plant height was small. Biomass standardized for plant height was stable across environments and showed a good correlation with number of grains and grain yield. The contribution of pre-anthesis assimilation to grain yield was only important under low yielding experimental conditions, but the differences among the genotypes for this trait were inconsistent. It may be difficult to select genotypes with a high potential contribution of pre-anthesis assimilation to grain yield.