Genetic variation for dry matter and nitrogen accumulation and translocation in two-rowed spring barley: I. Dry matter translocation

A 4-year field study was carried out to determine dry matter and nitrogen accumulation until anthesis and at grain filling period and dry matter translocation and utilization in grain filling of barley. Twenty two-rowed spring barley (Hordeum vulgare ssp. distichum L.) cultivars originated from different countries (Yugoslavia, Germany, Australia, the Czeck Republic, Netherlands, France and USA) were grown during 1995–1998 on a non-calcareous chernozem soil near Novi Sad (45° 20′N, 15° 51′E, 86 m asl). Dry matter and nitrogen accumulation depended on the cultivar and year. In a year with favorable weather conditions, 58% of dry matter was accumulated during pre-anthesis, while in a year with less favorable weather the amount was 48%. In the favorable year 91% and in unfavorable year 65% of nitrogen was accumulated until anthesis. The results indicated that the greater amount of dry matter and nitrogen accumulated before anthesis. Dry matter translocation efficiency depended on the cultivar and ranged from 3 to 16.4%, while the contribution of pre-anthesis assimilates to kernel varied from 4 to 24.2%. Cultivars that have been developed for the growing conditions of the area where the experimental site was located, i.e. adapted ones, did not use pre-anthesis dry matter for grain filling. High positive correlations (P<0.01) were found between biomass at anthesis and biological yield, dry matter translocation efficiency, contribution of translocated dry matter to grain yield, and total plant nitrogen at maturity. Accumulated nitrogen at anthesis was positively correlated (P<0.01) with growing degree–days until anthesis, dry matter at anthesis and dry matter translocation parameters. Heritability for the investigated characters was rather high, over 0.60.